What If
by Nkari
Summary: AU! What if Sirius had gotten to Godric's Hollow first, and taken Harry with him because of a promise he had made to a dying James. Disclaimer: I do not own anything that belongs to JKR! I need ideas people! Major writers block! And exams don't help!
1. A Promise Made

AU - What If?  
  
Chapter 1: The Best Decision  
  
Sirius dodged a stunning curse that was shot by a death eater he was dueling. He returned with a pain curse, hitting the death eater in the hand. The death eater, with a cry of pain dropped his wand.  
  
"Accio!" yelled Sirius, pointing his wand at the death eaters. The death eater made a lunge for his wand, but to no avail, it ended its flight in Sirius's hand. The death eater raised his hands in surrender and knelt down on the ground. Sirius, careful not to be taken off his guard moved in slowly. "Stupe -" he began, but the death eater flung a knife out at Sirius, who didn't completely avoid it. The knife slashed his shoulder, leaving a long gash. Sirius, looking back at the death eater dodged again to the side as he saw that the death eater had taken out a second wand.  
  
'What the - where did he get that?' thought Sirius, who dodged a burning curse. The duel became more and more intense, the spells more and more difficult until, "Ava -." But Sirius was quicker.  
  
"Avada Kedavra," he yelled. The jet of green light shot out from Sirius' wand and struck the death eater directly in the chest. He fell down lifeless. Sirius took a deep breath, he hated to use that curse, it felt terrible to take a life, even from one so undeserving of life.  
  
Slowly, Sirius walked over to the death eater. He knew the man was dead, but still, he didn't want to take any chances. Slowly he turned the man over, he had to see who it was he had killed. Slowly, he unmasked the unknown death eater, who suddenly wasn't anonymous.  
  
"NO!" shouted Sirius to the heavens as he stared into the expressionless eyes of Peter Pettigrew. Immediately Sirius apparated as close as he could to the apparation barrier around Godric's Hollow, and grabbed his black motorcycle that was there for quick transport. He pushed the cycle to its limit as he flew over muggle houses uncaring. He got closer and closer to his goal when all strength failed him. Smoke could be seen milling in the sky from the burning ashes which had once been Godric's Hollow. Sirius began to cry, 'How could you Peter? How could you? James trusted you, loved you like a brother. How could you?'  
  
He was about to turn around and leave when he heard something. 'Crying?' he thought, 'surely not, Harry?' He flew his motorcycle at full speed before landing in the front yard. There he saw Harry crying on the ground, Lily, dead lying next to him. Sirius scooped up the crying Harry from the ground and stared one last time into Lily's beautiful green eyes before he turned away. As he walked back towards his cycle he heard movement to his left. Instantly he had his wand out, what he saw however, made him put Harry down and run over to where the noise had come from. Something was moving under a fallen side of the house. Sirius levitated the fallen wall off of its victim and stared down at James. He dropped the wall to the side and knelt down next to his best friend who stared up at him through half-glazed eyes. "James."  
  
"Sirius," James coughed out, "Sirius - I want you - to take Harry."  
  
"No James, you're gonna be alright."  
  
"Sirius listen to me! Take Harry, raise him as your own. They - they will come after you Sirius. They don't know, that Peter - that Peter was the secret-keeper."  
  
"James no -"  
  
"Sirius, take my wand," he handed Sirius his wand. "You know what Harry is, what he is capable of. See to it that he learns from you, everything Sirius. Teach him everything. I - I'm afraid I won't be around much - much longer now." Sirius reached down and put his hand over James' head trying to comfort his friend. "Just let me - let me see Harry one last time."  
  
Sirius, crying now, quickly went back to where he had laid Harry and brought him over to James, who was obviously dying from the wounds he had received fighting Voldemort. Harry stopped crying as he was lowered to James' hands and smiled at his father, who smiled back. James placed a kiss on Harry's forehead, "I love you Harry. Your mother and I both love you we will always love you. Remember that." Turning to Sirius he handed Harry back and said, "Thank you - my friend." Then James' eyes misted over and Sirius was left holding his body, crying with Harry.  
  
Soon another sound was heard though that brought Sirius out of his sorrow. People were running, running closer. They were yelling orders. 'Aurors,' was Sirius' only thought before he took off to where he had hidden his cycle. He got on it and flew away, spells shooting after him. Sirius kept flying past the apparation barrier. He had to get to where he left Peter's body. He had to prove his innocence. He had to do this to raise Harry. He flew for hours and he neared the place where he had dueled Peter. Reaching the clearing he lowered the motorcycle and scanned the clearing. Peter's body was gone, and with it his only chance of innocence.  
  
Sirius was becoming frantic now, where could he go, what could he do. He had nothing, except his wand, his motorcycle, the clothes on his back, and Harry. Harry, that is what Sirius would live for, and he realized that he needed to move. Get out of England entirely. He needed to get away. Grabbing Harry up he took off towards Diagon Alley. He needed materials, and quickly before news got out. Parking his motorcycle outside of The Leaky Cauldron, he rushed through the inn and into Diagon Alley. His first stop was at Gringott's, where he took all of his money out of his vault and putting it all into a trunk, shrunk it. Then he made some stops at the apothecary, Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore, the clothing store, and the food shop. After getting all of the materials needed he ran back to his motorcycle and took off with Harry.  
  
He flew for days, over the English Channel, over the France, and into the forests of Germany, where the secret Potter estate was located. The place of untraceable, unmappable, and invisible. There were repelling charms all around for beasts and humans alike, and only the master of the house could dictate who could be let in. The only master left was Harry, Sirius had been given permission by James long ago. This is where he planned to stay. This is where he would raise Harry.  
  
As he entered the house with Harry, Sirius looked around. The house was spotless, as it always was. The decorations were elaborate and at the same time homey. There were rugs adorning the floors and tapestries blazoning the walls. James knew that the upstairs, and downstairs would be in a similar condition. The potion lab would be clean, the dueling room organized, and the library cataloged. It all happened automatically, magically. The entire house was run by magic. 'We will be safe here,' Sirius thought, 'Safe here away from all the world,' he added somewhat dismally. 'I sure hope that his library has books on how to raise a child.' Harry took that time to wake and begin to cry yet again.  
  
  
  
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	2. Young Life

(A/N) Thank you for all those who reviewed, it really makes my day! To those who have been reading my other story, Harry Potter and the Forgotten Magic, I believe that it will be on a temporary hiatus until I get farther along with this one. As for a reason, I find this plotline more appealing to me. I have had the idea though of somewhat connecting the two stories and I may yet do that! Thanks again to all reviewers!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: Young Life  
  
Sirius walked down the stairs. It had been a long seven years since he had taken Harry from Godric's Hollow. He had to learn from his mistakes a lot. He had no idea how to raise a child. He never had any of his own and was the only child in his household. He never even had any friends that had baby brothers or sisters. He had raised Harry by instinct and if he had to say, did pretty well. Sirius had taught Harry many things in the eight short years that he had been alive, the first and foremost was to be kind, the second to trust only those worthy of trust, the third about his family, and last but not least about magic.  
  
Sirius was amazed at Harry's progress in magic. Harry used James' wand for his lessons and could perform many magics that Sirius could not in his fourth year of school. Sirius taught Harry from the schoolbooks that he had found in the large Potter library. Magic seemed to come naturally for young Harry, as it had for James. Sirius knew why this was, but he wasn't going to let Harry know until he started his real schooling.  
  
As Sirius reached the bottom of the stairs he came into the study. This room was his favorite. It had plush chairs and couches strewn in a circle to promote conversation. There were several fireplaces around the room to provide warmth in the cold German winters, and magical lighting illuminated every nook and cranny. There was a window overlooking the forest below the house, for it was located on the side of a mountain, and every day the sunrise showed brilliantly through it. Sirius briefly watched the colors of the sunrise before moving into the kitchen to make himself some breakfast.  
  
Learning to cook had been one of the bigger challenges for Sirius. He had never been a very good cook and he knew it. In fact, he didn't even know the standard measures for cooking devices. He had to learn from scratch from the books in the library. Now however, he considered himself a decent cook and often grilled meat was what was served for dinner. Today though he simply took out a box of a muggle cereal, Golden Crisp, and poured a bowl of it. Thinking to himself while eating he didn't even notice Harry slip down the stairs and into the kitchen.  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
Sirius snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Harry with a smile, "Yes Harry?"  
  
"I'm hungry."  
  
Sirius chuckled and answered, "Well, what do you want for breakfast?"  
  
"I dunno, what do we got?"  
  
"Hmm, well, we have eggs. . .  
  
"No."  
  
". . .pancakes. . ."  
  
"No."  
  
". . .cereal. . ."  
  
"No."  
  
". . .pop tarts. . ."  
  
"Pop Tarts! I want pop tarts!"  
  
"Okay Harry, let me just heat them up for you." Sirius muttered a quick heating charm and then handed the plate of Pop Tarts to Harry who devoured them. Sirius laughed again.  
  
"Hungry were you?"  
  
"Uh huh." Harry nodded his head with a big grin on his face.  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can I learn to turn into an animal like you?" Sirius had been ready for this. It came every morning since Harry knew how to ask that question.  
  
"No Harry, not yet, it is much too dangerous."  
  
"But I want to. You said my dad was one, I want to be one too." Harry put on puppy eyes, but Sirius remained firm in his decision.  
  
"No Harry, something might go wrong for you. I don't want to take that risk."  
  
"Alright Sirius."  
  
"If you are done with your food it is time for your lessons." Harry smiled, he loved his lessons. "Okay, lets get started." Sirius took Harry to the library where he pulled up chairs for both of them.  
  
"Alright Harry, I want you to light up your wand for me."  
  
"Lumos," Harry's wand lit, "Nox," it was put out.  
  
"Very good. Now, I want you to -"  
  
**********************  
  
Hours past and Harry and Sirius were still going over all of the spells that Harry knew. Sirius was amazed at Harry's capacity of magic at so young of an age. He knew many useful spells, such as the unlocking spell, the disarming curse, the stunning curse, and even transfiguration. Every day Sirius went over every spell that Harry knew, he had written them all down, and added one new spell. This spell ranged from a battle curses, to playful hexes. Harry made good use of his knowledge of hexes and he and Sirius often had prank wars, though Harry usually won because Sirius let him. Sirius taught Harry many spells, and most of the spells were learned together as Sirius picked the 'spell of the day' out of a random book from the library.  
  
Soon Sirius had finished all the spells that Harry knew, and picked out a book from the library, 5001 Useful Spells. Sirius flipped to a random page as was his custom. As he looked down at the page he had flipped to he was startled. The title read, 'Animagi.' Before he could flip to another page Harry had grabbed the book from him and his eyes opened wide.  
  
"Oh Sirius! Can I? Please?"  
  
"Harry, I just don't know." Harry began to look crestfallen, and Sirius buckled. "Harry, when you turn eight, I will begin to teach you. But for now lets look up another spell." Harry visibly brightened, for he knew that his eighth birthday was in just two days. Sirius flipped to another page and ended up teaching Harry the confoundus charm, which Harry proved he could do quite easily.  
  
After the lesson Sirius and Harry ate lunch. It was a simple lunch as always, just a sandwich of Harry's choosing, today he chose peanut butter and jelly. After both had their sandwiches Sirius asked, "Harry?"  
  
"Yes Sirius?"  
  
"Do you want to go to town today? I have to shop for your birthday."  
  
"Oh can we Sirius?" said Harry very excitedly.  
  
"Alright then, after lunch we will go," said Sirius smiling at his godson. Harry finished his PP&J very quickly, cleaned his spot, and washed up before practically dragging Sirius out of the door. Sirius let himself be dragged to where the two kept their brooms, and then separated from Harry.  
  
"Remember Harry, we cannot let anyone see us, so fly low, and we will be stopping well short of the town."  
  
"Okay Sirius." Sirius smiled at Harry's eager response. He knew how much Harry loved to fly, perhaps even more than James, Sirius thought. Harry and Sirius flew daily around the Potter estate and Harry was becoming quite the adept flyer, and he often kept Sirius very worried. As they took off Harry sped his Nimbus 1985 to its top speed and pulled up into a loop. Sirius's heart stopped beating for the few seconds that Harry was upside down.  
  
'God, I'm becoming worried just like Lily would have.' he mentally noted and he took off after Harry. The two sped along at speeds approaching 75 miles per hour, and always flew right above the trees to avoid being seen. But even if they had, what muggle would believe that one had seen two people on broomsticks flying overhead at breakneck speeds? Soon they reached the destination, an old abandoned barn on the outside of town, and the tow set down. Hiding their brooms in the nearest haystack and set off towards the town.  
  
Upon reaching the outskirts of the muggle town, Litenby, Harry sped off towards the market, with Sirius close on his heals shouting, "Harry! Wait up! Slow down lad!" Harry didn't slow however, until he reached the first shop, the bookstore. Sirius showed up seconds later panting and both entered the store after catching their breath. Harry led Sirius to the back of the store to where the two had discovered magical books before. They were still confused as to how the store had acquired those books, but were glad that it had them all the same. Harry looked at the older books describing prophecies and old spells, and told Sirius which he wanted. Sirius ended up buying, without Harry seeing of course, Every Important, and Not So Important, Dueling Curse From the Beginning of Time, and Legends and Myths: A Wizards History. These books he guessed, would be more than enough for Harry during the next year. He bagged the books and then looked for Harry. He found them in the music section; he was looking at a book to learn to play the guitar.  
  
'That could be a useful skill,' thought Sirius, and then audibly, "Harry? Do you want that book?"  
  
"Yes Sirius, I want to be able to make music like we hear on the radio at our home." Sirius nodded his head. It was one of Harry's favorite pastimes to listen to the muggle radio that Sirius had purchased when they had arrived at the house four years ago to keep up on the news. It had been very useful in keeping both entertained, and was still used after Sirius had purchased a television. Both of these appliances had to be modified however, so that they could be operated on magic, instead of electricity, seeing as the Potter estate had none.  
  
Sirius purchased the book for Harry and they continued through the town. Sirius treated Harry to an ice cream, since they had already had lunch, which Harry had insisted be strawberry. After the ice cream Harry and Sirius stepped into the music shop. There Sirius let Harry look around and he purchased an electric guitar, black with flames across the length. After purchasing it he discreetly shrunk it and went to find Harry. He found him looking at the exact guitar he had bought him.  
  
'Good, he will like the present,' he thought happily. "Harry, we have to go. Alright?"  
  
"Okay Sirius," he said with a sigh. Sirius hated it when Harry did that, he hated to disappoint or upset him, but he had to remain firm in his decision. "Harry, lets go, we need to get home tonight." With that Sirius led Harry out of the door and back to the brooms. After the two hours it took to fly back to the Potter estate both were dead tired. Sirius sent Harry to bed and then wrapped and hid Harry's presents in his own room. Finally he crashed.  
  
***************  
  
'Harry -'  
  
'Huh?'  
  
'Harry Potter.'  
  
'Who are you?'  
  
'I am who I am Harry Potter, what is important is that you have just turned eight. You will now find that you have a new ability. Harry, you shall now have a photographic memory. Learning will no longer be a problem, and you shall have the capacity for more knowledge than most.'  
  
'But why do I get this? I'm not special or anything, I mean sure, the entire wizarding world knows who I am, but I'm just a regular kid, right?' Harry asked the voice, uncertainty ringing in his own.  
  
'No Harry, you are not normal. You are the hope that the world rests on, you will be pressed by many to do things that you feel are not yours to deal with, you must be wise in your decisions, for they may very well affect the course of the world. I'm sorry I must leave you now. Good luck - Harry Potter.'  
  
'Wait! Voice!' Harry cried out in vain.  
  
As the voice left Harry fell back into a normal sleep, one not interrupted by strange voices, and the memory of the conversation slipped to the back of his mind.  
  
***************  
  
"WAKE UP HARRY!" Sirius blew a horn into his godson's ears, who cringed at the loud noise.  
  
"Sirius, leave me alone - I don't wanna get up."  
  
"Harry! It's your BIRTHDAY!" Another horn blast rang in the room.  
  
"I - Don't - Care," punctuated Harry very carefully, "I want my sleep."  
  
Sirius laughed at this and slyly said, "Have it your way then." With that he, using his wand, poured ice water all over the tired Harry, causing him to shoot up out of his bed screaming.  
  
"It's co - co - cold! Sirius! I'm gonna get you for that!"  
  
Sirius shrugged, "You wouldn't get up, I simply thought I'd assist you. I don't want you missing your birthday or anything like that."  
  
"Oh yeah!" Harry jumped out of bed, "It's my birthday!" Sirius sported a very confused look on his face before answering that statement.  
  
"I just told you that it was your - Nevermind. Do you want to come down and open your presents?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" Harry was jumping around on his bed and jumped into Sirius waiting arms, where he received a hug and then was put down onto the ground, where Harry immediately ran off to the study. Sirius came down a minute later to find Harry shaking his presents, trying to decipher what was inside the wrapped boxes. "You ready to open them Harry?"  
  
"Yeah, Sirius!"  
  
"Go ahead." With that Harry ripped the wrapping paper off the first present. It was the books Every Important, and Not So Important, Dueling Curse From the Beginning of Time, and Legends and Myths: A Wizards History. Harry was ecstatic. He loved to read, and loved even more to learn new spells. These books were like a dream come true for him. Sirius had taught Harry to read at a very young age. He did this to prepare Harry to learn magic. Ever since Harry had begun his magical training at age four, he had read every book on spells he could get his hands on, even if he couldn't perform most of the spells.  
  
"Thank you Sirius!" Sirius smiled at his godson and motioned for him to continue. The process of opening gifts, giving 'whoops' of joy, and thanking Sirius repeated for all of Harry's gifts, and soon he had just one more. So far Harry had gotten many different pieces of equipment for making potions, more books, and a muggle set of weapons; swords, knives, bows, and arrows. Harry had been elated at every gift and now he turned to the largest gift. Sirius smiled, glad that Harry had chosen to open this one last. Soon Harry was ripping open the wrapping paper and he gasped at what he saw.  
  
"Oh Sirius! Thank you!" He yelled as he lifted the guitar out of its case and put it around his neck. He plugged it in to the magical full stack of speakers that Sirius had purchased as well and strummed it. What resulted was the shaking of the whole house, and Sirius covering his ears. "Oops." Harry said tentatively, "I guess it is a little too loud." Then Harry smiled and Sirius soon followed.  
  
"Oh, and I also signed you up to take martial arts lessons at the dojo in town. I hope you don't mind."  
  
"Of course not! Do I get to see other kids my age?"  
  
"Maybe, if they signed up. I think it will be good for you to talk to some other people besides just me," said Sirius smiling.  
  
After a few more minutes of talking Harry began to read the book on how to play the guitar and by that evening he could play a few different chords. 'Boy,' thought Sirius, 'he is going to be good on that thing. I can tell already.' Sirius had stopped having to cover his ears because of bad sounding chords already, and Harry was eagerly learning more and more on his guitar, well, as best as an eight year old can.  
  
In all of the excitement that day, Harry had forgotten to nag Sirius about becoming an animagus, and unfortunately he only realized this late at night. 'Oh well, I guess it can wait until tomorrow." he thought and he fell asleep, his guitar strapped around his shoulders.  
  
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littleginblossom - Sorry, the update wasn't the next day. can you ever forgive me? (  
  
Sharpsnout - Plz do keep reading (  
  
Arakyas - Thanks for the review! It made me feel all warm and cuddly inside ( Haha! 


	3. Marital Arts and New Powers

(A/N: Thanks to Rachel A. Prongs who was my only reviewer for this chapter. Yay to her! Boo to all who read and didn't review ; ) Anyway, This chapter skips ahead at bit more until about when Harry is 8½ years old. Yes, I skipped the day of learning to be an animagus. You will however see it don't worry. I just couldn't find a way to actually putting it in. Again, if you read it, please review. Reviews really make my day!)  
  
(A/N 2: Re-read chapter 2. I have made some changes in it that will make you confused if you read this chapter without re-reading chapter 2. Oh and thanks to Rachel for pointing out a mistake in chapter 2.)  
  
  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
'Harry.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'Harry Potter.'  
  
'Who are you?'  
  
'Do you not remember me?'  
  
'No.'  
  
'I am the reason that you remember things the way you do.'  
  
'Huh?'  
  
'You find that you can learn things in no time at all, that whatever you read is implanted into your brain forever. Am I correct?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'Good. Now Harry, if I am correct tomorrow will be your birthday. I am here to tell you about some more powers that you shall receive.'  
  
'More powers? Why me?'  
  
'Because of what you are Harry. You must have realized by now that you are something special. Look at what you can do; what you are capable of. You learn with no limitations, you have amazing speed and agility, your magical power is outstanding, even with another's wand you can perform the most difficult of spells. Do not think that I don't know about that Harry, I do. And I know that you haven't told your guardian. He knows too Harry, though he is hesitant to tell you. But that is not why I am here, to make idle chat with you. I am here to tell you what your new power will encompass. Harry, tomorrow, on your ninth birthday, you will gain the power of wandless and elemental magics.'  
  
'Elemental magics?' asked Harry confused.  
  
'Yes, using these magics, or sorceries as they are more commonly referred as, you will be able to control earth, fire, water, air, death, life, shadow, and light. These magics are rare to find among humans because of their non-human nature. This is the type of magic that dragons control. This power is not to be used lightly Harry, I hope that you will consol with your guardian, he can help you learn. As for wandless magic, you will find that you do not have to say an incantation aloud, but only think about which spell you wish to cast. There are less limitations to wandless magic because though wands focus magic enough for normal witches and wizards to use it, wands also weaken magics power. Yours will not be weakened and therefore you shall be very powerful. Now you know what will come, and I hope that you learn to control these powers as soon as possible Harry, they will be needed quicker than you realize.'  
  
'Voice! Come back!' yelled Harry as he felt it leave his mind. Then he awoke.  
  
"Harry! Come downstairs! We have to get ready for your martial arts!" When Harry had turned nine Sirius had decided that as a birthday gift he would enroll Harry into a local dojo. Harry loved the classes as he was able to communicate with others his age, and both Sirius and the dojo master agreed that he was very adept in his fighting. It had only been one year and Harry had already advanced to the black belt.  
  
"Coming Sirius!" Harry came running down the stairs in his uniform barefoot. Sirius couldn't help but smile at the state of Harry's hair. Yep, he had defiantly inherited James's hair. It was black and unruly, and nothing could seem to tame it. "Can we go now Sirius?" asked Harry eagerly.  
  
"Yep, do you remember how to do this?" Sirius was talking about apparating. It had been necessary for Harry to learn to apparate so that the trips to town would not take hours.  
  
"Yes Sirius, I remember," said Harry rolling his eyes. Harry remembered everything. Every spell that he had ever looked at, every book he had ever read. It seemed so easy for him to remember things, and yet, he didn't know why he could. He had told Sirius about this ability and Sirius only nodded and muttered something about James being able to too.  
  
"Alright then, next to the barn okay?" said Sirius snapping Harry out of his thoughts.  
  
"Alright," came the response.  
  
Both muttered the incantation for apparation, "Appario," and disappeared. They reappeared next to an old barn on to outside of town, and once checking to make sure that none had seen them they began the walk to the dojo. They passed a few on the streets who waved to them and said "Hallo" which Harry and Sirius returned. (A/N: Remember that they are in Germany.) Soon they reached the dojo and entered.  
  
"Hello Harry, are you ready for the lesson?" inquired Master Kasper, the dojo master. (A/N: Master Kasper speaks both English and German, my German is not very good at all so I will be writing everything in English.)  
  
"I'm doing fine Sir. Is anyone else here yet?"  
  
"No Harry," replied Kasper smiling, "you are the first. Would you like to get an early start on your lessons?"  
  
"Sure," came the reply and Harry followed Kasper into the training room. It was a large square room with a large circular pad on the floor, so that none would get hurt when falling. In the time that there were no others there Harry and Kasper practiced some difficult stances and moves.  
  
"You sure learn fast Harry, I'd say that you are a natural at this. I think you'll be good at what I am teaching today too," he said smiling.  
  
"What are you teaching today?" asked a curious Harry.  
  
"You'll find out," was the only reply he got. Fifteen minutes later the other students began to arrive. Harry began to talk avidly to his friend Dirk about things such as music, dirk was a musician too; he played the drums. Soon the real lesson began and Harry learned what Kasper was going to teach them, acrobatics. It wasn't long before Harry discovered that he was very good at acrobatics. He was soon flipping and hand springing all over the practice pad. Dirk seemed to be somewhat a natural as well, but he couldn't quite flip as well as Harry.  
  
The lesson, much to Harry's dismay, ended far too quickly. As soon as Kasper shouted, "Class, time to quit," Sirius came out and waited for Harry to come with him. Harry stood around and talked to Dirk for a little before going off with Sirius. It wasn't long before Harry and Sirius reached the old barn and stepped inside. As soon as they stopped Harry and Sirius stopped to look around, and then with one word each, apparated out.  
  
Unbeknownst to them, Dirk had been running after Harry and Sirius to tell Harry that his mom had asked if Harry had wanted to come to dinner. He rounded the corner of the barn just in time to see the two *pop* away. He opened his mouth in utter surprise and went running to his mother.  
  
"Mom! Mom! I tried to catch them but I couldn't!"  
  
"Well that's alright, you can invite your friend next time."  
  
"Mom! Harry and Sirius used magic to get away! They apparated!"  
  
"Used magic? Apparated? So young? Wait! Did you say Sirius? Sirius Black and Harry Potter? Could it possibly be?" With that she ran off with her son following her.  
  
*******************  
  
When the two returned home Sirius began to make lunch for Harry and himself. Harry began to play his guitar. He was very good by now and could play most of the songs that he heard on the radio. His favorite bands were some American bands, Yellowcard, Fenix TX, The Ataris, and the German band Rammstein. He could play most of the songs from these bands. Though he was playing however, his mind was elsewhere, he was thinking about the voice and what it had said. He was debating about whether or not to tell Sirius, the voice had said too, but would Sirius think him crazy?  
  
Harry couldn't answer that question, but he knew what he had to do, he had to tell Sirius, I mean, the voice did tell him too, and said something like Sirius already knew. This was all too much for Harry to think about, so he focused back in on his playing. He started to play and sing 'A Song for Everyone' by Fenix TX. Sirius soon finished making lunch, deli sandwiches.  
  
As they were eating Harry asked, "Sirius? Was there anything different about my parents?"  
  
Sirius choked on his sandwich in surprise at the question. "Umm, yes Harry there was."  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"Well, you see, you are the heir of some very powerful wizards, as were your parents, there was also something else, but I will tell you that when you get older. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, it is just that I had a dream last night, and - something - talked to me."  
  
"What? Talked to you? What did it say?"  
  
"It said that there was something special about me and that I would gain powers as I grew older. It also said that you knew. Right now I suppose I have the ability to learn things extremely quickly, and the voice said that tomorrow, on my birthday, I will gain control of wandless magic and elemental powers. It told me how to use the wandless magic, but it said that you could help me with elemental powers."  
  
"Me? But I - I only know how to help you from the little that James taught me."  
  
"Well, I guess that is enough?"  
  
"I guess. You know Harry, you talk very sophisticated for your age."  
  
"It must be because you are the only one I talk to," said Harry smiling.  
  
"Must be, now, I guess all we can do is wait for tomorrow before I can begin to teach you."  
  
"Yep, but I'm hungry so lets eat."  
  
******************  
  
"Remus," yelled Logan, "Remus! Someone reported seeing a Sirius and a Harry!"  
  
At this news Remus shot around and looked directly at Logan, hope filling his eyes. "So, it is possible that Harry is still alive, even after the bastard Sirius kidnapped him?"  
  
"Yes, that is what it seems. They are in Germany now, there has already been one group sent out to investigate, I will make sure that you are in the next."  
  
"Thank you Logan, I hope, I pray that Harry is alive and well, and that Sirius is having a bad day when I see him." He looked off into space and muttered, "Don't worry Harry, I'm coming."  
  
********************  
  
Sirius was listening to Harry play the guitar, he had gotten very good. At the moment he was playing in tune with Yellowcard's, Sure Shot, and was singing along. Harry was a very good singer as well. Sirius thought it rather funny that at such a young age Harry was built like he was much older. Because of martial arts lessons and lessons in dueling with Sirius, Harry was filled out very nicely. 'Boy,' Sirius thought with a smile he couldn't keep hidden, 'when Harry goes to Hogwarts there will be girls hanging all over him.' Sirius had come to the conclusion only a couple years earlier that he would be sending Harry to Hogwarts, Harry of course, knew of the decision as well. 'Nobody will be picking on him either, I mean he could probably take all of the wimp wizards who think magic is everything, and I bet Harry could even show them up in that. Hell, he's almost as good as me in dueling.'  
  
Harry finished his song and saw Sirius smiling and staring off into space. "Sirius? What are you smiling about?"  
  
"Oh nothing Harry, just thinking about how you will be received in Hogwarts. Just wondering how many will try to pick on you and regret it."  
  
At this Harry smiled. "Sirius, you know I wouldn't hurt anyone without good reason."  
  
"Oh I know Harry, but I'm sure that there will be people that will give you more than a good reason."  
  
"Hmmm." With that Harry began playing Rammstein's, Du Hast. An hour later both were in bed sleeping, some more comfortably than others. Harry had dreams that weren't normal at all, but not exactly troubling either. At the moment he had called up a fireball, and was throwing it at a target, he missed. This time he called a larger fireball and threw it. Then raising one hand he called water and earth up from the ground to stop the fire, and made the air around the flame swirl very fast in order to contain it. But to top it all off, he was doing all this without a wand.  
  
'I didn't know such things were possible.'  
  
'Oh, they are Harry, they are. And you will be the bearer of these powers. This is but a small demonstration of what you will eventually be able to do.'  
  
********************  
  
"Madam, we need to ask you and your son a few questions. Will you answer some for us? They are about your report of seeing a Harry and Sirius."  
  
"Yes, I will answer the questions, though I must ask you, is Sirius Black really bad? Because he seemed like he is a very loving and caring father."  
  
Remus Lupin sighed. "Yes, I believe that he is bad, he killed two of his best friends by telling the dark lord where they had been hiding, and then stole their son to raise him as his own. But that is irrelevant right now, right now I need to know either where think he lives, or where we," he gestured to the rest of the aurors, "will be able to meet up with him."  
  
"Well, Harry has martial arts lessons with my son Dirk. The next lesson would be on, let me see, Wednesday."  
  
Remus sighed, 'two days,' he thought. "Lets find some quarters here. We will be staying until at least Wednesday. Put up apparation tracking charms and dress as muggles. We don't want to miss this chance, it may be the only one we ever get."  
  
*********************  
  
Harry awoke the next morning to find Sirius sitting on his bed staring down at him.  
  
"Harry? Are you okay? You were mumbling all last night about powers, elements, and magic. I decided to stay with you."  
  
"Yes Sirius, I am fine. That voice came again and showed me some of what I can do now that I'm nine. Lets see if I really can." With that Harry thought really hard about the summoning spell and the book on his desk across his room came flying into his waiting hands. "Yep, it seems that the voice was right, and that I may not be going crazy." Harry smiled at his godfather who smiled right back.  
  
"Come one Kiddo, lets see if I can begin to teach you about those elemental powers you supposedly have."  
  
After eating breakfast Sirius began to tell Harry of his father's and mother's unique ability, they were both able to control the elements. Sirius had spoke to James about this quality many times and had a rudimentary understanding of how the elemental powers worked. "James was very good at controlling both the elements of fire and earth, your mother specialized in water and air," said Sirius to his unusually attentive godson. "I talked with James most, so I think I will attempt to teach you how to control those elements first. Okay, now what you must do is clear your mind of absolutely everything except one thought. Concentrate on that one thought, it must be about what you want to happen."  
  
Sirius could see Harry was trying, but he was trying to hard. There was sweat forming on his brows from his concentration. "Harry, you need to not think about thinking of nothing but what you want to happen. It is impossible to successfully accomplish this task if you think about it. Just let your mind wander except for what you want to happen. Keep that in mind." Harry visibly relaxed his face and after nearly thirty minutes Sirius jumped when a small flame appeared in Harry's open palm. 'Amazing, his first day, I think James told me it took him a month,' he thought, his face not betraying his emotions.  
  
"Harry, open your eyes." Harry did so and gasped at what he saw. Within his palm was floating a fireball, roughly the size of a muggle baseball. Harry bent forward to look more closely at it and it exploded. Sirius jumped to see if Harry was okay, but began to laugh when he noticed the only thing wrong with his godson was that he didn't have any more eyebrows and his face was smudged with black.  
  
"Harry! You look like a raccoon!" Sirius managed to get out between his fits of laughter.  
  
"So," said Harry nonchalantly, "what if I like the look?" He raised one eyebrow as if to say to Sirius, 'you question my style?' and then broke out into firs of laughter as well. It wasn't much longer before Harry could summon baseball sized fireballs into existence with only a little meditation, and Sirius became worried about the house.  
  
"Ummm, Harry."  
  
"Yes Sirius?"  
  
"You don't think that you may accidentally set the house on fire do you?"  
  
"No of course not, but if you want we could go outside."  
  
Sirius looked visibly relieved, "Okay then, lets go." Harry and Sirius stepped onto the back porch and Harry began to try to control a little of the air element, causing slight disturbances in the air and such. By the time that Harry had even managed a little breeze it was getting late and Sirius told Harry that it was time to go in and get some rest.  
  
"Okay Sirius, let me just take a short flight okay?"  
  
"Alright, but not to long."  
  
With that Harry's body began to shift, Sirius watched as Harry's body shrunk and his nose elongated into a beak. Then Harry's arms melted into wings and his legs became skinny and almost scaly. In the final step of his transformation Harry grew flaming feathers, and became his complete phoenix. Sirius remembered the first day that Harry had become an animagus; it was the day after his eighth birthday. Sirius had fainted when he saw that Harry had become a phoenix, and Harry had to revive him using 'enervate.' He had only barely managed to tell Harry what he had turned into before he had fainted again. Sirius explained to Harry why he was so surprised at Harry becoming a phoenix; it was extremely rare to be able to become a magical creature, in fact, there was no one in history that had ever become a phoenix before. After learning this, Harry had been stunned as well, and Sirius had made him promise he would never tell or show anyone in exception of the direst circumstances. Harry had agreed, however, Sirius let him fly around every night for a while so that Harry would master his animagus form.  
  
Soon Harry landed back on the porch and his form returned to that of his nine year old body, and he and Sirius walked back into the house. There Sirius conjured up some roast beef and pumpkin juice for Harry and himself and after a quick dinner, both went up to their rooms and fell asleep.  
  
********************  
  
"Sirius," growled Remus Lupin to the sky, "I hope, for your sake it is not me who catches you, for I will not be nearly as forgiving for what you did our best friends. I will not forgive you for turning to Voldemort when you had James and Lily to care for you."  
  
  
  
*********************  
  
  
  
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	4. Remus Trouble

(A/N: Thanks to Otaku freak, sparrow, matt, and for reviewing this chapter so quickly! This is the second chapter that I have gotten up tonight! *pats self on back* I'm not sure if I will ever do that again but I will try to satisfy all of you people out there that demand fast delivery. ; ) Again thx to those that reviewed and for all those that haven't yet, PLEASE REVIEW!)  
  
Chapter 4: Remus Trouble  
  
"Harry! It is Wednesday! Get up we need to get to your lessons!" yelled Sirius up the stairs. Harry, who was sleeping jumped out of his bed at the call and dressed quickly in his muggle fighting clothes. Not that any of his clothes were wizards clothes, he had no use for them. Sirius and he always wore muggle clothes so that in the event that someone see them at their house they would simply assume them regular people who lived in a cabin way out in the woods.  
  
"Coming Sirius!" Harry yelled back down the stairs to his waiting godfather. "Could you get me some pancakes or something to eat quickly?" he added as an afterthought.  
  
"Sure, but hurry up! You don't want to be late!" Harry ran down the stairs and grabbed the plate of pancakes that Sirius had conjured, and inhaled two of them. Sirius looked at him incredulously as Harry said that he was ready to go.  
  
"How do you eat that fast? I'm sure that it is not good for you."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Lets go."  
  
"Alright, lets go."  
  
With that the two of them *pop*ed to the barn that they usually apparated to.  
  
********************  
  
"REMUS! We have apparation activity!" yelled the auror watching the apparation tracker. Remus Lupin ran over to the indicator.  
  
"Can you see who it is?"  
  
After pressing a few buttons and muttering a few words the reply came, "No, it seems that they have concealed their magical signal. It must be them, rarely do people conceal their magical signal, and it is illegal without permission. But it does make since that they would."  
  
"Yes it does. Okay," Remus turned and looked at the group that had surrounded them, "Hit Wizards to the barn! Aurors stand by in the town! We don't want this to get out of hand. Magical reversal squad be ready to wipe some memories! Lets move people!"  
  
With those instructions the hit wizards moved to their target, with Remus with them. The aurors waited in the town as instructed and were ready to help join the fight against the most wanted criminal in the world.  
  
The five hit wizards and Remus snuck up to where the barn was and drew their wands. "Stun only, I want this one alive for the kiss," was the order from Remus. The wizards nodded their heads in understanding and spread out surrounding the barn.  
  
*********************  
  
"Okay Harry, you got all your stuff?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Alright, lets head out."  
  
*snap*  
  
"Sirius, there is someone out there," whispered Harry. Both Sirius and Harry drew their wands, ready to defend themselves if need be and slowly walked towards the entrance of the barn. Sirius raised his hand signaling Harry to stop, which he did.  
  
"Listen," he said very quietly and Harry did.  
  
"I want this one alive for the kiss -"  
  
Sirius panicked. "Harry, we have to get out of here. I don't know how, but they found us! It is wizards Harry. Apparate now! I will come too."  
  
"Appario," they said at the same time, and nothing happened.  
  
"Oh crap," a wave of fear passed over Sirius and Harry's faces. "They set up an apparation barrier. We are gonna have to fight to the woods Harry, we have to move fast!"  
  
With that he and Harry snuck out the door of the barn, Sirius in his dog form, Harry dressed as a muggle boy walking his dog. The only thing was, neither expected Remus to be there, and when Sirius saw Remus and Remus saw Sirius, Sirius knew that Remus recognized him even before Remus shouted at his team, "There they are!"  
  
"Sirius transformed back and told Harry to transform and fly away. "Leave Harry, I can get away!"  
  
"No I won't leave you!"  
  
"Run then! RUN!"  
  
"Only if you come!" With that the two of them began to run for the forest, spells following them. Sirius noted with relief that there were no all too familiar green lights shooting past.  
  
'Probably don't want to risk hitting Harry,' he thought dismally. He didn't think much more though because a well-aimed stunner by one of the hit wizards hit him.  
  
Harry saw his godfather fall and stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around, eyes blazing with fury. He looked straight at Remus, and when Remus looked back he felt fear. He would never admit it, but in that moment he felt pure terror. Those eyes were unlike any he had ever seen, it was almost as, Remus did a double take, they were. Harry's usually jovial green eyes were flaming. His eyes became stormy and green flames licked his pupils, his irises were actually moving as if they were flames. Then Remus saw Harry raise a wand.  
  
'What the? He's far to young.'  
  
"Stupefy," the wizards heard him say, and one of their number dropped to the stunner. Before the rest could properly react, two more of their numbers were down to stunners.  
  
'Such power, and desire, it seems that Sirius has corrupted Harry. I'm sorry Harry, this is for your own good.' With that he and the other two standing hit wizards raised their wands and in unison shouted, "Stupefy!" The bright white stunners shot out towards Harry, and the most amazing thing happened. Remus' jaw dropped. Harry leaned backwards, lowering his knees at the same time, dodging the first two stunners, the third however hit him, and Harry dropped.  
  
Remus sighed, and began to walk forwards. Then he noticed Harry's eyes snap open and the boy jump to his feet. Again he looked into those eyes, and began to visibly tremble. His eyes were red, dark red with scarlet and orange flames licking them. Harry's wand lay some distance away but that didn't seem to stop the boy.  
  
Harry raised his hand and a magic shield was erected over Sirius. Remus was horrified, 'such power.' Then Harry looked straight at him, his eyes burning with fury, and the impossible happened. A fireball formed in Harry's hand and Harry threw it at Remus, then two more appeared and those were thrown at the other hit wizards.  
  
Remus and one hit wizard dodged, the other was not so lucky and was severely burned and was forced to back out of the fight. "Stun him!" yelled Remus terrified. "Stupefy!" came the familiar spell, this time Harry didn't bother dodging, and he simply raised his hand and swept the two spells away. Remus' knees almost gave away as he quivered in fright.  
  
Harry brought his hands forward in a sweeping motion and tornado force winds swept before him. The hit wizard and Remus were blown back into the barn and knocked out part of the woods. Remus was only dimly aware of a figure approaching him. "Harry," he managed to choke out, "it's me Remus."  
  
Before he went unconscious he heard Harry's reply, "I'm sorry Remus, but you won't take Sirius, he is innocent, it was Pettigrew."  
  
**********************  
  
"Run then! Run!" Harry took off and he dimly heard Sirius running after him. The spells shooting by them scared Harry, and he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He had never been attacked before, at least not that he could remember. Just then he heard a groan and a thump. 'Sirius!' he thought and turned to look. He saw Sirius lying on the ground stunned. 'No!'  
  
Harry looked up at the men who dare stun Sirius, the man most like his father. He saw five wizards in black robes, and what had to be the commander of their group in red. He looked closer at the man in red robes. "No," he whispered to himself. He would recognize that man anywhere, Sirius always talked about him, Remus Lupin. One of Sirius' best friends, and one of his father's, and now here he was. He had stunned Sirius and was ready to take Harry. For the moment Harry hated that man, and he didn't bother hiding it. He looked straight into the eyes of Remus and he saw the man shake slightly, as if uncomfortable under the gaze.  
  
'Good, be scared,' thought Harry, and then he raised his wand. "Stupefy!" he yelled, "Stupefy, Stupefy!" He dropped three of the wizards; he wanted to give Remus time to be scared. By this time the wizards and Remus realized that Harry wasn't about to go down without a fight and each shot a stunner at him. Harry bent backwards and dodged the first two, but his consciousness faded as he was hit by the third. Then the most amazing thing happened, Harry saw in his unconsciousness his parents.  
  
'Harry, you must get up. You cannot let them take Sirius,' came the words from his mother's mouth. She smiled at him.  
  
'You have the power in you Harry, you are very powerful. You must help Sirius, they will get the dementors to kiss him. Wake up Harry. You must wake,' came the encouraging words from his father who also smiled at him.  
  
Harry didn't want to wake; he wanted to stay with his parents. But he could sense the urgency in their voices and so he searched for the power to resist the stunner, and he found it. He whispered goodbye as his parents became farther away, and before he regained consciousness he saw them both mouth, 'We love you Harry.'  
  
Harry's eyes snapped open. He had found power inside himself, power he had not know about before, and he got up. He looked at the three wizards and with his new power conjured fireballs and threw them at the wizards. Remus and one of the hit wizards dodged, the other was not so quick and went down in flames. Harry found himself beset upon by the other two and he blocked the stunning spells with his hand, surprising even himself. He chose this moment to look at Remus and saw the pure terror in his eyes and his legs shaking.  
  
'It is time to end this and get Sirius and me away.' Harry raised his hands and at his command winds blew out blowing the hit wizard and Remus into the side of the barn at high speeds. The hit wizard, as Harry noted, was knocked unconscious immediately, but not Remus. Harry walked over to him and heard Remus announcing who he was trying to make Harry see that he was a friend.  
  
"I'm sorry Remus, but you won't take Sirius, he is innocent, it was Pettigrew."  
  
With that Remus fell into unconsciousness. Harry walked back to Sirius, "Enervate." Sirius jumped up and grabbed his wand looking for the attackers, and saw only Harry standing by him, all attackers on the ground.  
  
"Harry?" Sirius asked, his eyes showed fear and concern for his godson. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes Sirius, I'm fine."  
  
"Okay, what happened?"  
  
"We'll talk later, lets get back home." With that the two ran off to the woods and apparated.  
  
*********************  
  
"We have apparation activity," said the man watching the tracker. "It was them! They got away! How?" He looked around at the others who all stared at him unbelieving. "Go check on the hit wizards and Remus! What happened to them?"  
  
The aurors ran to the barn and were shocked at what they saw. Three hit wizards stunned from spells, one hit wizard and Remus knocked out from impact with a wall, and one hit wizard severely burned. This last one was portkeyed to the ministry where he could receive medical treatment, and the rest were revived.  
  
"What happened?" the lead auror asked Remus and the hit wizards.  
  
"I'm not really sure," came the tentative reply of one of the hit wizards. "We stunned Black right off."  
  
"If you stunned Black then how in the world were you all dealt with? Others?"  
  
"No," came the answer from Remus, "It was Harry." All those who weren't there gasped in surprise, and some looked at him disbelievingly.  
  
"Come now man," began the commander, "you can't be serious. He is only, what, nine?"  
  
"I assure you Hilton, it was Harry Potter that did this. I - We underestimate him."  
  
"That can be clearly seen. Did you even try to defend yourselves against the boy?"  
  
"Yes," came the reply from all five.  
  
"So. . . ?"  
  
"Hilton," began Remus, "when Harry was a boy, he had Lily's eyes, bright emerald green. He still has those eyes, however, when Sirius fell he turned to look at us." Remus quivered at the memory. "Those eyes, usually filled with love were contorted with hate. I could see flames licking his pupils. I was filled with a terror above all terrors. I tried to fight back but he was much too powerful. He was stunned but simply awoke again." There was the sucking in of breaths from the listeners. "Then he raised his hand and without a wand started throwing fireballs at us. He hit Emerson. Then Wilson and I threw stunning spells and he wiped them away with his hand. I'm not really sure, but I believe after that he called a tornado and blew us into the barn. I wasn't knocked unconscious right away; he came over to me. I tried to tell him I was a friend. He told me - he told me - I can't remember. Must have lost that memory in my unconsciousness." Remus' face contorted in his attempt to remember what Harry had told him, but he couldn't drag the memory out.  
  
"Well in any case," Hilton began, "we now know that Harry Potter is as dangerous, or more dangerous than Sirius Black, and should be treated with as a criminal. If he is spotted, stunners are to be used right away."  
  
"Hilton, I don't think -"  
  
"Remus! He knocked out five of our people and severely injured one! He is now a criminal! Just like his 'father!'"  
  
Remus jumped up and yelled at Hilton, "Sirius is NOT Harry's father!"  
  
"Calm down man!" came the yelled response. Remus settled himself, "Do you want me to relieve you from this case?" Remus shook his head. "Then you will refrain those kind of outbursts in the future. Do you understand?" Remus nodded. "Good."  
  
********************  
  
Sirius and Harry walked into the German Potter estate, and Sirius was itching to know what happened after he was hit by the stunning spell. Harry however, looked exhausted and headed into the study and fell asleep upon the couch. Sirius looked at his godson, somehow, this boy of nine had managed to fight off five hit wizards, some of the best wizards of the ministry, and Remus, who Sirius knew was a talented dueler. Then his thoughts turned to what the ministry wizards would do when they found that Harry and he had escaped. 'Will they come looking for us? Is it safe to stay here? How long before we can again go out into the world? Probably will have that city guarded for years to come. I wonder if they would notice if we moved?' All these thoughts and more were echoing throughout Sirius' head. He didn't want to move. This house was one of the only reminders of James he had. But then he remembered that only the master of the house could let people find this house, and Harry had wiped the list of invited, besides Sirius, long ago. They would be completely safe at the house. But they would not very well be able to leave it, not often at least.  
  
Sirius almost wished that Harry would turn eleven so that he could send Harry to Hogwarts. He really wanted Harry to have that experience, and he felt that it would be best for Harry now because it would be boring for Harry to live in the house 24/7, with no more marital arts lessons. 'Perhaps I could host some lessons for him, assist him with magic,' thought Sirius. 'Well, I hope he doesn't get to fed up with this house and me. I believe staying here is the only option that we have at the moment, though I wish we had more.  
  
***********************  
  
Harry slept through the next day and Sirius began to become worried. 'What if they hit him? What if he was internally injured? What if he is sick?' Sirius read up on many things from the library that could possibly cause him to sleep like this and concluded after observing that Harry did not seem to have any symptoms of injury or sickness that he was plain exhausted. 'It must have taken a hell of a lot out of him, whatever he did in that fight. Took out six people. I hope that he is not a criminal now. Probably think that I brainwashed the poor kid. I hate being thought of as evil! Why did you have to do it Peter? Why -?' Sirius left all of these questions unanswered however because at that moment Harry stirred and Sirius immediately jumped to his side.  
  
"Harry? Harry are you okay?"  
  
"Ummm."  
  
"Is that a yes?" Sirius asked smiling.  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Good. You scared me kiddo. You've been sleeping for a day and a half now." Harry sat up.  
  
"A day and a half? Are you joking?" Sirius shook his head, and smiled as Harry's face formed wonderment.  
  
"You were dead tired Harry. What did you do that made you so tired?"  
  
"Oh, well let me tell you about what happened after you were stunned -"  
  
It was an hour later before Harry finished telling the story and had answered all of Sirius' questions. Well, almost all of Sirius' questions, they were interrupted by Harry's stomach. Sirius jumped as Harry's stomach grumbled its need for food.  
  
"Oh," was all Sirius could say. He conjured up some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with pumpkin juice at Harry's request and the two ate a quick lunch before Sirius asked the rest of his questions.  
  
"So, you saw your parents?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What did you think of them?"  
  
Harry stared out into space, "They were - they were wonderful Sirius. They were very polite in what they told me to do. And mom was beautiful and dad was handsome, and they said that they loved me Sirius. I didn't want to go, but I had to help you. After that I accessed energy that I couldn't before and I think that is what wore me out. I used to much energy at one time."  
  
"Ah, that would be a good guess. Well I'm glad you did there, but don't access that energy again unless you really need to. It doesn't do to have you out cold for two days." Sirius smiled at his godson who smiled back.  
  
A couple hours later found Harry playing his guitar as he normally did, and Sirius listening to him, and singing along.  
  
***********************  
  
Like It? Hate It? There is only one way to let me know! Press that little 'go' button on the bottom left and leave a review!  
  
Sparrow - He didn't think that no one would think that he raised him. He just wants Harry to go to Hogwarts. He knows that people would know that he raised Harry.  
  
Matt - you get your answer : ) 


	5. More New Powers and Early School Supplie...

(A/N: Thanks to all of those who have reviewed! Your reviews keep me going in this story. I hope that I will be able to continue to update this quickly, but with school, nothing is ever certain. I'm pretty sure that this was a quick enough update for you all *winks* Once again thanks to all reviewers!)  
  
Chapter 5: New Powers and School Supplies  
  
'Harry.'  
  
'Oh no. Not you again. Can't I just be normal.'  
  
'Harry, you are anything but normal. Must I tell you again?'  
  
'Why? Why am I anything but normal?'  
  
'It has to do with your heritage Harry. You ancestors had a great capacity for magic, all sorts of magic. Descendants of these wizards have the capability to learn these types of magic. All of your ancestors had very good memories, thus your enormous capacity for information. One of your ancestors discovered the secret of wandless magic, and that trait was passed on through his heirs. Another's ability was the elemental magics. Tomorrow you will acquire yet another power.'  
  
Harry did the mental equivalent of groaning.  
  
'Tomorrow you will receive the capability of learning and performing necromantic magic. This is a very dangerous magic and I do not believe that you should attempt to learn it without a certain book. This book is called, Necromancy: The Ideas and Spells Behind It. You will find it at Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley in London. It is not necessary that you get it immediately. In fact, waiting a few years would not be bad. You simply have the capability of learning it now.'  
  
'Okay, okay. But who are my ancestors? And how did they get these abilities?' 'Patience child. All will be answered in due time.'  
  
'Okay, but what is necromantic magic?'  
  
'Necromancy is the magic of death. It is widely considered a black magic but in actuality is not evil. In fact, there are no evil or dark magics. Magic is magic, and it is only dark magic if dark purposes are what it is used for.'  
  
'Oh, well I guess that makes sense. So the killing curse isn't a dark magic, it is just a spell that has been but to dark uses?'  
  
'Correct. I leave you now Harry Potter.'  
  
'Ummm, good-bye I guess?' With that Harry fell back into a deep sleep for a few more hours.  
  
***********************  
  
Harry woke up from a dream that included his mother and father. He smiled at their words, they had, in the dream, told them that they would always love him. Then his thoughts turned to the voice and his newest powers. 'Uggg,' he thought, 'why more powers?'  
  
"Harry? Are you awake?" yelled Sirius from downstairs.  
  
"Yeah Sirius!"  
  
"Okay!" Harry heard footsteps coming up the stairs and down the hall towards his room. Harry quickly dressed and waited for his godfather to enter. It wasn't a long wait. "Happy birthday Harry!"  
  
"Thanks Sirius," said Harry giving his godfather a hug.  
  
"I have your presents downstairs Harry. You want to come down and get them?"  
  
"Yes, but could we eat first?" Sirius laughed and led his godson down the stairs to the kitchen where there was laid out what could be considered a feast. Every breakfast food was on their kitchen table. There was ham, eggs, bacon, sausage, quiche, cereals, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, fruits, and breads. Harry's mouth dropped open at the sheer volume of food, but that didn't last long as his stomach reminded him of his hunger with a growl. Harry tucked in three muffins, a plate of eggs, a pear and peach, some waffles and some pancakes before laying back and announcing that he was full. "Are you sure?" Sirius teased. Harry smiled in response.  
  
After eating Sirius magically cleared the table and made the presents appear upon it. There was quite a modest amount this year as Harry noticed, but that never mattered to Harry. He opened the first package and laughed in delight. It was a new guitar, a wizards one. This one was made by the Flaming Headless music company and was called the Flame 1999, after the year it was made. Harry wanted to try it out immediately, but Sirius suggested he open the rest of his presents first.  
  
Harry complied and nearly fell out of his chair as the next present he opened was a broom, a brand new broom, a Nimbus 2000. "Sirius, it isn't even the year 2000 yet. How did you get this?"  
  
"Lets just say that I got a special one as a sneak preview. I bought it directly from the company. They simply don't mass produce them yet, you can special order them."  
  
Harry nodded before asking if he could ride it. Sirius again told him to open the rest of his presents. The next present was some books for advanced dueling spells. Harry thanked his godfather sincerely for them and moved onto the final present. It was very small. Harry opened it and a piece of paper fell out onto the table. Harry picked it up and began to read.  
  
Harry, soon I will take you to Diagon Alley in London to get all of your schoolbooks and things. I know that it is one year away that you will be going to Hogwarts but I don't want to go next year because the aurors may be looking. Think of some other gifts that you may want and we may get some more from there.  
  
Harry looked up at Sirius grinning like a maniac. "Thanks Sirius! I always wanted to go to Diagon Alley!" Harry gave his godfather a hug which was returned.  
  
"Glad you like it Harry. We will probably go in a few days. I have something that I need to do first. Oh, and look through the book I got you on advanced dueling spells, I believe that most of them will be no problem for you but that is the book that I will be teaching you from for the next year. I want you to be well prepared to go to Hogwarts. Oh, and there is one last gift." With this announcement he took out what looked like a ragged piece of parchment out of his pocket. Harry looked at it curiously.  
  
"I know that you have heard of this Harry, Remus, James, and I all had one, although Remus lost his some time ago and James' was lost in the house that night." Sirius looked sad for a minute but then continued, "This Harry, is the only one that I know of right now, here is the Marauder's Map. To activate it you simply have to say 'Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs forever.' I edited out Wormtail's name some time ago."  
  
Harry took the parchment reverently and said the password. Instantly lines began to spread out over the parchment, forming the map of Hogwarts. Harry stood enthralled by this gift and he began to study the map. He saw all of the secret passages and secret rooms that had been discovered by the Marauders. Sirius smiled as Harry studied the map.  
  
"Take very good care of it Harry, it is a very useful device, and I'd hate for you to lose it."  
  
"Don't worry, I won't Sirius."  
  
"I know you won't kiddo," said Sirius rubbing Harry's head. Then he walked off to the study leaving Harry with the map.  
  
It wasn't long before Harry remembered his other presents and he ran to get them. He first took the guitar to the music room that Sirius had set up, then he took his book to the study, finally he took his broom outside. He began to fly over the forest. He flew to see the top speed of his new broom, he flew to see how it handled, he did not fly to see ministry wizards combing the forest, but he did.  
  
*******************  
  
Albus Dumbledore,  
  
This is, as you may have guessed, is Sirius Black. Now, don't send this off to the ministry, I assure you that it is untraceable. I do want, however, to talk to you. I know that you are a very forgiving and understanding person. No doubt that you in England have heard of Harry's and my close call. The aurors almost got us in Germany, but that is not what I wanted to write about.  
  
Albus, I must tell you that I have been very scared these last nine years. I took Harry from Lily's dead arms that terrible night. Before I left however, I found James buried under a side of the house. He was dying. But as he was dying he said to me, "Sirius listen to me! Take Harry, raise him as your own. They - they will come after you Sirius." It is true Albus. They did come after me, and I was forced to flee. You must believe me. This is my first attempt to convince anyone of my innocence, and it is for Harry's sake.  
  
If I had been a servant of the dark lord I would not have kept Harry alive, surely you must see this. I love Harry and only want the best for him. That is why I will be sending him to Hogwarts next year when he turns eleven. I can assure you that he is very gifted in magic, but he is somewhat lacking in social skills as you can probably imagine. I need to have a list of what will be required so that I can pick up his things.  
  
You know how big of a risk this is for me to take Albus. Please see that I mean well and will never harm Harry. I never did harm anyone except the death eaters that I had to fight. Do you know why I was the target Albus? Of course you do - I was the secret keeper right? No - it was Peter. I asked James to switch at the last minute. Nobody would suspect Peter of being given the information. I killed him that night Albus - Peter. When I saw that it was him I apparated as quickly as I could to Godric's Hollow and flew my bike the rest of the way. I told you the rest.  
  
Please Albus, you must believe me. I trust you, I know that you will make the right decision. Please send the requirements along with this bird. Please don't bother trying to trace it, I assure you that it is impossible. Respond immediately or I will not open the message. Good-bye Albus.  
  
-Sirius Black (Former Student)  
  
Sirius put down the quill and attached the letter to the waiting falcon. "Take this to Hogwarts, it is for Headmaster Dumbledore's eyes only. Godspeed."  
  
With that the falcon took off in the general direction of England, bound for Dumbledore, Sirius' last hope of redemption.  
  
**********************  
  
"Remus." An middle aged auror said trying to get the werewolf's attention. It worked and Remus' head turned towards the shorter man.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I just wanted to report that the aurors stationed throughout Germany have all been placed on high alert. However, we have not yet found any trace of Sirius Black or Harry Potter." Remus nodded his head. "That is all I wish to report."  
  
Remus nodded again, "Dismissed." Remus went back to his thoughts. It had been a year already and he still couldn't remember what it was that Harry had said to him. It was really becoming annoying. Slowly he drifted into a trance.  
  
'Remus.'  
  
'What - who are you?'  
  
'You can call me voice. I do not believe that I will visit you again, but I do have something to show you. I believe that for the last year you have been trying to discern what it was that Harry Potter said to you.'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'Then watch carefully.' With that Remus' vision exploded into bright white light, and when the pieces came back together he was again standing at the barn, facing Harry Potter. Again, he felt the terror when looking into those eyes; again he saw his comrades fall to stunners. He saw Harry take a stunner and regain consciousness; he saw the boy's power. He felt the pain of hitting the barn again, and he saw himself telling Harry whom he was. He heard the reply, and it hit him like a ton of bricks, a freight train would have felt better, "I'm sorry Remus, but you won't take Sirius, he is innocent, it was Pettigrew."  
  
". . .it was Pettigrew, . . .it was Pettigrew, . . .it was Pettigrew, . . .it was Pettigrew." The words kept echoing in his head. 'No, it couldn't be. He died fighting death eaters.'  
  
'You are mistaken Remus, Pettigrew was a death eater. Sirius killed him that night and that is how he knew to go to Godric's Hollow.'  
  
'No! I won't believe you! Sirius betrayed Lily and James! And now he is raising their son as his own!'  
  
'No, he is raising Harry as his godson, as he is. Harry knows the truth, and does not blame Sirius. When will you learn the truth? When will you accept the truth?' With this the voice faded away and Remus snapped back into reality.  
  
"No - it was Pettigrew," he muttered silently to himself.  
  
*******************  
  
"Sirius! There are aurors in the forest!" Sirius turned to look at Harry, a little fear evident in his eyes.  
  
"Are there?"  
  
"Yes, I saw them while flying. They can't get us her right?"  
  
Sirius visibly relaxed as he remembered the charms that the Potter Estate had on it to help the occupants avoid unwanted company, "No, they won't get us here. But you must stay in the house at all times, and always keep a silencing charm on the music room when you are playing.  
  
"Alright Sirius."  
  
*******************  
  
The next day Sirius arose early. He was worried about the presence of the aurors. What if Dumbledore had given the letter to the ministry? What if he was helping them search for Sirius? What if he didn't believe him?  
  
*scratch* *tap*  
  
Sirius looked to the window to see the falcon banging its claws against the window. He took the letter from its claws and eagerly opened it:  
  
Sirius Black,  
  
Though I am hesitant to believe you on the question of your innocence, I would be more than happy to allow Harry to come to Hogwarts, as did you and his father. I also think that it would be good for him to associate with those his age more. Enclosed is a list of required materials for first years.  
  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Sirius nearly jumped and shouted in joy, but refrained himself in fear of awakening Harry. He immediately began making plans of going to get the supplies from Diagon Alley that very day.  
  
*******************  
  
When Harry awoke later that day he found Sirius eagerly awaiting him downstairs. He showed Harry the letter, and he was also worked up in excitement. Harry ate a quick breakfast and after dressing himself as to hide his appearance he waited downstairs for Sirius. It took another fifteen minutes for Sirius to come down. He had taken extra precautions against being spotted and had applied quite a few glamour charms to change his appearance. When both were ready Sirius gave Harry a picture of the Leaky Cauldron, a wizards' pub in London, and both said, "Appario."  
  
It takes a good deal longer to apparate across countries and Harry was uncomfortable during the minute long wait in nonexistence, when it was over however, he found Sirius standing next to him in an old run down bar.  
  
"Welcome Dirk," said Sirius to Harry, they had agreed to use code names, "to the Leaky Cauldron." Harry didn't have much time to look around however because Sirius dragged him out back to what seemed a dead end.  
  
"James, where are you going it's a dead -," Sirius tapped a brick and the back wall moved aside revealing Diagon Alley, "oh," was all Harry could say. Sirius smiled at Harry slightly dropped jaw and let him stare at the marketplace for a little before dragging him into it.  
  
"Well Dirk, lets get some money first huh?" Sirius led Harry to a large building with a sign proclaiming it, Gringotts, the wizards' bank. Harry and Sirius walked up to one of the goblins, and handed him Harry's vault key. The goblin eyed it momentarily before leading them down below ground.  
  
"Vault 457!" announced the goblin as he stopped the cart and walked towards the vault door. "Stand back please." With that he put his hand on the door and traced some intricate patterns with his fingers and the door began to open. Inside the vault was piled gold and silver. There were not only coins but artifacts as well. Harry and Sirius stepped into the vault. Sirius scooped up some money, and Harry grabbed a sword, and an amulet of some type. He could sense that both were magical.  
  
After gathering what they needed from the vault the goblin took them back to the main floor of Gringotts and the three exited the cart. Sirius announced that the next stop would be Flourish and Blotts, for his schoolbooks. Upon arriving Sirius went off in search of Harry's schoolbooks and Harry went in search of a certain book that the voice had told him he would find here, and he did. He picked up Necromancy: The Ideas and Spells Behind It and put it in the pile of books he would buy. Sirius didn't even see the book as he paid for the pile and shrunk them for easy transporting.  
  
Next Harry and Sirius stopped into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. There Harry bought some school robes, a size big so that he could grow into them. He also bought a set of battle robes which Madam Malkin looked suspiciously at but didn't say anything. He bought a few sheaths for knives and the like as well. "James," Harry said to Sirius, "I felt a little uncomfortable under her watching. I think it would be best if we moved quickly."  
  
"Right you are Dirk, lets go get your wand and potion ingredients and go." The first shop they stopped at of the two was the apothecary. There they purchased all of the required ingredients and a few more, for pranks. Finally Sirius pulled Harry along to Ollivanders.  
  
"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry was a startled but didn't show it.  
  
"Hello," said Harry in response. Sirius just grunted.  
  
"Here for your first wand I suppose," said the voice again. This time however the man stepped out form behind a shelf presenting himself. He was skinny, lanky one could say.  
  
"Yes sir," came the firm reply.  
  
"Well, which is your wand arm?" Harry indicated his right arm. "Hmm." Mr. Ollivander began to measure Harry's arm, and then his legs, and chest width, and everything that one could possibly measure. Harry began to wonder if all the measuring was absolutely necessary. "Well then - what is your name?"  
  
"Dirk, Dirk White."  
  
"Okay then Mr. White," Mr. Ollivander said the name hesitantly as if he sensed something wrong with it. "Well, lets try this, Beachwood and dragon's heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible." Harry took the wand and waved it, nothing happened. "Hmmm, try this one." Mr. Olivander gave Harry another wand. "Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy." Harry gave the wand a wave and something exploded in the back of the room.  
  
"Hmmm, nope, defiantly not that one." Twelve wands later Harry was beginning to wonder if he would ever get a wand. Mr. Ollivander had announced him as a 'tricky customer' and had given him another wand, but this too was snatched away before Harry could give it a second wave. Finally Mr. Ollivander climbed a ladder.  
  
"I wonder," he thought aloud, "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."  
  
Harry took the wand and immediately felt a warmth spread throughout his body. Mr. Ollivander stared at him curiously. "I was saving that wand for another customer, but it seems that it has chosen you. Curious, how very curious."  
  
Harry began to feel very uncomfortable under the man's gaze and he could sense Sirius shifting his weight behind him. He was nervous too. So Harry quickly paid for the wand and left the store, thanking Mr. Ollivander.  
  
"Few, glad to be out of there," said Harry. "Let's leave."  
  
With that the two apparated out. Little did they know that Mr. Ollivander had sent an owl to Headmaster Dumbledore telling him that he had sold the brother wand, but not to the one he thought he would. Dumbledore smiled as he realized that Harry and Sirius had gone to Diagon Alley. Yes, Sirius was always the sneaky one.  
  
*******************  
  
Back at the auror headquarters, Remus Lupin's head snapped up. He had come to the conclusion that he was going crazy. After all, there was a voice that was talking to him in his head. But his head had snapped up for a different reason. He had remembered about the Potter estate in Germany. But how to get in? It had so many enchantments, enchantments almost as powerful as those around Hogwarts. He immediately went to his superior.  
  
********************  
  
Goddess792 - Don't worry, next chapter you will see how Harry begins at Hogwarts. That is the plan at least : )  
  
Otaku Freak - Thanks for the kind review  
  
Rachel A. Prongs - Thanks for another review! I hope you get some *snickers* out of this chapter, though you will probably get a lot more in the next. Cheers!  
  
John - Next chapter Harry should be at Hogwarts  
  
QuidBrm - I didn't get to your review on the last chapter, so here it is. Thanks for the review and complement on plot : ) 


	6. Hogwarts and an Annoying Voice

(A/N: Ah, another chapter written and gone, and posted on FF.net. I just wanted to thank all of you reviewers! I love reading reviews and responding to them. They make me feel all warm and cuddly inside. *Ahem* But that is not the point. I only look for constructive criticism in a review, I mean, I am a professional author. Well, maybe not. I look forward to ALL reviews! Oh and thanks to Time Twins for reviewing EVERY chapter so far :D And of course to Otaku Freak for reviewing faithfully.)  
  
(Extra Special Disclaimer - I used some parts directly from the books in this chapter and I am citing the book right here.  
  
Rowling, J, K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. Bloomsbury Publishing: New York, 1997.  
  
Oh and by the way, I don't make any money off of this)  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 6: Age 11 and Hogwarts  
  
'Harry Potter.'  
  
'Dammit won't you just leave me alone?!'  
  
The voice seemed to chuckle a bit, 'I'm sorry; you already know that you are special Harry. You know that I must do this.'  
  
'Well, couldn't you wait until I was dying or something?'  
  
'No, I have to do it when you turn ages.'  
  
'Whatever, what is it now?'  
  
'I am here Harry, to tell you about chaotic magic.'  
  
'Chaotic magic?'  
  
'Yes. Chaotic magic is just that - chaotic. It is more commonly referred to as Chaos magic. It is the magic that is in everything. Every person, even muggles, every plant, every inanimate object contains magic. This was found to be a truth long ago. However, normally if one tries to access this power it fails them. There are instances when one can grasp this power, but usually only when that person is fighting for their life. You Harry, have the ability to access this power, this untamed magic, at will.'  
  
Harry groaned. 'May I ask again? Why me?'  
  
'Because of who you are, who your ancestors were.'  
  
'I know that. But who were my ancestors? I think that I have the right to know, seeing as they are complicating my life with their special abilities.'  
  
'Yes Harry, you do have the right to know. But not yet. You must wait until you have received your final power, which I'm not going to tell you about now.' Harry got the distinct impression that if he could see the voice it would be smiling.  
  
'Typical,' Harry thought in disgust, 'I never get told anything.'  
  
'Ah, but soon enough you will be told everything. And then I think, that you will wish that you hadn't been told anything, that you had been kept in the dark.' With that the presence of the voice left Harry's mind.  
  
********************  
  
Harry awoke that morning to the sound of a blow horn in his ear. In fact, it basically was in his ear. Sirius had snuck into Harry's room by the use of a silencing charm and set up the blow horn to go off at 7:00, which it was now. When Harry jumped up out of bed there were poppers and small fireworks that flew around the room, exploding to spell in big letters, 'Happy Birthday Harry!'  
  
'Oh joy,' thought Harry while putting a look of indignation on his face. "Sirius! How many times, gah!" Harry threw his hands in the air. "You always INSIST on waking me up in some special, loud way on my birthday don't you!" Sirius nodded his head, his face one big grin. "You - you -," but Harry couldn't get any farther without breaking into a smile himself and laughing along with his godfather.  
  
"I guess I wouldn't have it any other way," he said finally.  
  
"I'm glad you wouldn't, because I'm gonna do this until you are eighty," announced an euphoric Sirius.  
  
Harry lightly punched his godfather, who in turn picked up a pillow and slammed it over Harry's head. "Hey!" yelled Harry, who immediately picked up his own pillow. The result was a twenty minute long pillow fight that didn't stay at pillows. The two began hexing each other and charming other objects around the room to hit their opponent. In the end, Sirius won, though Harry claimed that he let Sirius win out of the pity of his heart.  
  
"Sure you did kiddo."  
  
"Kiddo? I assure I did you mutt." Harry smiled at his reference to Sirius animagi form.  
  
"Who are you calling a mutt, beak boy?"  
  
"At least my animagi form can fly!"  
  
"Well mine can run! You just squadle!"  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"You deny it? I assure you that you do. In fact, I would be willing to take Veritiserum to prove it." Harry quieted at this statement, and Sirius grinned. "Ha, you know I'm right!"  
  
"No -"  
  
"Shhh," said Sirius raising his hand.  
  
"Bu -"  
  
"Shhh!"  
  
"I -"  
  
"Shhh! Shhh! That was a preemptive 'Shhh,' just to let you know I have a whole bag of 'Shhh' with your name on it!"  
  
Harry and Sirius both fell into laughter as Harry recognized the saying from the muggle movie Austin Powers. Sirius had rented it about a month ago and both of them had watched it ten times before returning it a week later.  
  
Talking about the movie once again, both headed downstairs to the kitchen where a feast rivaling the one from Harrys birthday the previous year was lying on the table. Both Harry and Sirius dug into the food with a vengeance. Soon the food on the table was reduced to about half of its original size. Harry had devoured most of the fruit flavored croissants, and Sirius had had a particular liking of the fruit pancakes that morning. Soon both of the now stuffed boys were lying back in their chairs happily discussing what they planed to do today.  
  
They came to the conclusion that Sirius would help Harry practice his elemental and wandless magics. Over the years Harry had augmented his ability of wandless magic and now he was as proficient without a wand as he was with one. His elemental capacity had also greatly increased. Two years ago, just a few spells had bedridden Harry for a day and a half. After two years of training these powers he was able to control some of the most violent storms and other natural disasters. It took a lot of elemental magic to tire Harry and he could go for a full day of practicing his elemental magics before being worn out.  
  
Also, since that day at Diagon Alley a year ago, Harry had read the book on necromantic magics quite a few times. Sirius knew by now of this capability of Harry's, and at first, truth be told, he was a little nervous. He had always thought of necromancy as a dark magic, but Harry explained to him that no magic is dark; it is only thought of that way if the way it is used is dark. And Harry had no intentions of using his necromancy for evil. Harry often wondered however, who his ancestor that had necromancy was. Was he evil?  
  
Harry was a little bit nervous about starting his necromancy training as well, however, with the aid of the book, it wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be. Necromancy dealt with death, but also the ways of preventing it. Harry found that there were many spells that could slow the coming of death, heal mortal wounds, and even cure the majority of potions. These spells Harry did not hesitate to learn, but he rarely was able to practice them because of the obvious lack of mortally wounded people around. He did attempt to practice on whatever wounded animals came around the house, and those instances the spells had worked, but on humans he still had to try.  
  
That night Harry went to bed very tired, and still wondering who his ancestors were. He took out the marauder's map and with a, 'Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs forever' began to study the map of his soon to be home.  
  
******************  
  
[September 1st]  
  
"Harry! Wake up! Today is the big day!" Harry shot out of his bed upstairs and grabbed some clothes. Today was the big day. Today he was going to Hogwarts. Harry dressed in a pair of muggle jeans, he, like so many other boys, wore his jeans a little baggy. Then he slipped on a navy blue Hurley T-shirt. Last weekend, Harry and Sirius had been to a muggle hairstylist, to see if there was any chance of Harry's hair being tamed. It turned out that it was simply too long. The solution? Cut it. Harry soon found himself with short spiked hair. He also had his hair frosted. Finally, he went to an optometrist. He bought some contacts to wear instead of having his glasses, which had become to small for him anyway. The colors of contacts he had picked thought were very unusual, silver and gold. Sirius approved of the new 'look' and said that it went very well with Harry's school robes.  
  
Harry threw on his school robes and met with Sirius downstairs. He didn't have to do his hair because of a charm on it to keep it the way it was after the lady cut it. His hair wouldn't even grow unless he took the charm off. Sirius had also charmed his contacts so that they would never dry out, therefore never irritating his eyes.  
  
"Alright. You have to be at Hogwarts by nine." Harry nodded his head. "It is 7:30 England time right now. I suggest that you leave. Do you have everything?"  
  
"Yes, it is all right here." Harry patted his robe pocket. He had shrunk everything to miniscule size the past night.  
  
Sirius nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, remember what I told you about Hogwarts, and the walk from Hogsmede okay?" Harry nodded; he was beginning to feel 'butterflies' in his stomach. "Alright, form a really clear picture in your mind. It is difficult apparating that far, as you know." Sirius smiled at him.  
  
Before Harry could say anything Sirius swept him up in a big bear hug. "Harry, you are going to be alright, you are going to do fine. Just remember everything I taught you. Be a good person Harry, and you will do fine." Sirius was crying now, tears streaming down his face. Harry was crying too. He was about to leave his most trustworthy companion of ten years. He most likely wouldn't see Sirius until the school year ended.  
  
"I love you Sirius. Take care of yourself. Take care of the home."  
  
"Don't worry about me Harry. I'll be fine. Maybe by the time you get back I'll be free huh?" Harry smiled through his tears.  
  
"Yeah, hopefully. I don't want to leave Sirius."  
  
Sirius ha been expecting this. It was only natural for him to be having second thoughts about the whole thing at this point. But Sirius didn't want him to go either. Yet, he forced himself to be composed and said, "Harry, you have to go. I want you to have this experience. It will help you to be well rounded, a person that others like. Just remember that I love you too Harry. Now go."  
  
Before Harry could have more second doubts, he pointed his wand at himself and with one word , "Appario," he disappeared with a *pop.* Sirius was left behind, tears in his eyes, but with the knowledge that this decision was best for Harry.  
  
**********************  
  
Harry warped through nothingness for an uncomfortably long time. But this didn't faze him in the slightest. Right now Harry was crying, crying that he had left Sirius; the man was like his father. In fact, though James was Harry's father, Harry considered Sirius his dad. And now he had to spend a long nine month away from the only person that had cared for him for ten years. No one else knew, understood, that Sirius was innocent. But he would change that. This year he would make certain that all knew that Sirius Black was innocent of the crime of which he was accused. A living Harry Potter could only help prove his point. Nothing could stop him. He wouldn't let anything stop him.  
  
*pop* Harry appeared on the outside of what looked like a small village. In fact, it didn't even look any different than a muggle village. That was until Harry saw some people running around in robes, and a train labeled The Hogwarts Express leaving the station. 'Oh no! I'm late!' he thought before running up the way to the castle. About halfway up to the top of the hill he realized that running would take to long. Quickly he reached into his robes pockets and grabbed a stick, which he unshrunk. Quickly he hopped onto his Nimbus 2000 and began his assent to the castle with god speed.  
  
He was expecting something impressive, but when he finally flew high enough to see Hogwarts, he was struck breathless. In fact, in those few instants he didn't even urge his broom forward. He just sat looking at the castle in all of its majesty. Its high towers reached up into the England fog, its battlements lined with gargoyles, and its courtyard green as though it wasn't September but June. Soon Harry remembered his urgency however, and took off again towards the magnificent castle that was his new home.  
  
******************  
  
Professor McGonnagal looked around at the first years anxiously. She was told by the headmaster under the utmost secrecy that Harry Potter would be attending school this year at Hogwarts, she had hoped to spot him in the group, though how she knew not. "Welcome first years, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. You will stay together until you have been sorted and will then proceed to sit at your house table. While you are here, your house will be like your family. The four house are Gryfindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, - and Slytherin. Please follow me. With that the doors to the great hall opened and the first years followed Professor McGonnagal inside. Among them were a boy with flaming hair, a girl with hair to follow suit, and a smirking blonde haired boy; but the one named Harry Potter was not among them.  
  
*********************  
  
Harry Potter was flying as fast as his Nimbus 2000 would take him, which was quite fast, and he was slowly coming up on the castle. He knew that he was late when he saw the gates shut, but he flew over them and landed in front of the main door of the castle. There he shrunk his broomstick and slowly opened the doors. There was no one in sight. He stepped inside the empty hall and looked around. Thanks to the marauder's map he knew exactly where he was and how to get where he was going, but he was rather nervous about the entire ordeal. He was thinking about simply waiting for Headmaster Dumbledore at his office so that he would not attract attention coming in late. But then how would he be sorted?  
  
Going over his options he came to the conclusion that he must embarrass himself in front of the school, but that didn't bother him much, he was never one to care about what others thought of him, though he wasn't given the chance to care much either. Cautiously he crept through the hallways until he heard voices coming from the direction of his quarry. It was clapping. 'Perhaps they are not done with the sorting after all!' thought Harry excitedly, and he ran towards the doors. It wasn't long before his well-muscled legs carried him to the doors of the great hall. As soon as he reached them his mind began to wander again.  
  
'What kind of impressive entrance should I go for? Should I go for an impressive entrance? No, I don't want to appear full of myself, though I don't really care what they think. I just don't want enemies.' This decided Harry simply used some wandless magic to throw open the doors of the Great Hall, which he entered, robes flowing behind him, hair showing brilliantly in the well-lit room.  
  
*********************  
  
Dumbledore scanned the first years eagerly as they entered with Professor McGonnagal. He didn't know what to look for, he had know idea what Harry looked like, but somehow he deduced that Harry Potter was not among the first years present. A quick look at the self-updating roll call sheet confirmed this. 'Sirius wouldn't go back on his intentions would he? It really sounded as if he wanted Harry to come here. What would he gain from saying that Harry was to come and then not send him?' These thoughts were put on hold however by McGonnagal's stepping up to the platform and grabbing the roll call sheet. Her shoulders slumped only a bit, but Dumbledore caught it, when she read that Harry Potter was not on the list. But she continued as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Abbott, Hannah!"  
  
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A few moments pause -  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.  
  
The Hufflepuff table applauded and the sorting continued. "Bones, Susan!"  
  
Dumbledore sat back in his seat, thoroughly disappointed that Sirius had gone back on what he said. He had wanted desperately for Harry Potter to make a reappearance in the wizarding world, but it seemed that appearance would have to be delayed again.  
  
The sorting continued, putting the red haired boy, Weasley was his name, and the red haired girl, Granger, in the same house, Gryfindor. The boy with blonde hair was sorted into Slytherin before the hat even had touched his head. Dumbledore pondered this for a moment. 'Ah yes, that was the Malfoy boy.' He then continued to dwell over the absence of Harry Potter. Soon the sorting came to the last of the first years and Blaise Zabini was made a Slytherin. Now it was time for Dumbledore to make his yearly opening speech. He stood.  
  
"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!  
  
"Thank you!" He sat back down. Though smiling and appearing perfectly calm he continued to dwell over the Potter boy. That is until the doors of the Great Hall shot open, hitting the walls with a bang that made everyone in the hall jump and turn their heads to the doors. Silhouetted against the dark hall stood the outline of a person, not tiny, but small. As the person stepped out of the darkness and into the light his features were revealed, and Dumbledore studied them.  
  
'Hmmm, blonde and brown hair, looks dyed. Gold and silver eyes? That can't be natural. His build, well-muscled, kind of reminds me of someone from quite some time ago.' Sudden realization hit him. 'James? Harry?' Quickly Dumbledore grabbed the roll sheet and noticed that there was but one name on the list.  
  
'Harry James Potter'  
  
Quickly he stood, and many heads turned to him from the lone figure as he began to speak, his voice laced with excitement. "It appears that we have a late arrival," he said with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes, "Minerva please get the sorting hat out for Mr. Harry James Potter."  
  
The response of instantaneous. Students everywhere were straining their eyes to get a look at the boy that had been 'kidnapped' ten years ago, a boy that had supposedly been dead at the hands of a death eater all those years, a boy that had saved the world from the dark lord Voldemort when he was one. This boy, known to almost all, was seen as a hero throughout the wizarding world, and here he was, alive nonetheless, standing in front of the entire hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. People began to ask each other questions.  
  
"Can you see him? Look at his hair!"  
  
"Is it really him? The one that defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"  
  
"No, it couldn't possibly be!"  
  
"What does he look like?"  
  
McGonnagal quickly got the sorting hat back out and placed it on the sorting stool. It began to grumble. "One year already? Blimey! I haven't come up with a song yet."  
  
"Don't worry you stupid hat," McGonnagal chastised, "it is only a late arrival."  
  
"A late arrival eh? I suppose that you will hang him in the dungeons for a while? Just like the old days?"  
  
"No! For the millionth time those punishments are dead!"  
  
"Pity. Well then, come one, put me on, don't be afraid."  
  
Harry carefully walked up the steps to where the sorting hat sat on the stool, he could feel every pair of eyes in the hall on him, and he dared not look up. Ever so slowly he lifted the sorting hat up on to his head.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter, so it is you who is the late arrival. Where to put you? I see power in you, and a desire to prove yourself, well in that case better be - SLY"  
  
"NO!" yelled Harry inside his brain.  
  
"No did you say? I can tell you that Slytherin is where you belong!"  
  
"I will NOT go into Slytherin! You will not put me into Slytherin or I will leave!"  
  
"Stubborn child, listen to me. Slytherin is where you belong. Your power, your ambition, it all fits. However, I suppose that there is a little courage in you as well. Ah yes, I see it. But, I warn you, the path of Slytherin is correct, if you chose to not take it then your road will be much more difficult for you to travel. Your paths more crooked and steep."  
  
"I will accept that. But I will NOT be put into that wretched house the house of the man that murdered my parents, the house that turns out the most evil wizards. If you said easy I know what you meant. And I will take DEATH over it."  
  
"Then you are decided. As am I. You will be spared from Slytherin as you wish, but I warned you. You will not find your road in life easy, and you will always know why it was so. It is decided - GRYFINDOR!"  
  
Harry took the hat off of his head and set it back onto the stool and turned to face the cheering students. One table however was not cheering. Everyone had heard the hat call the beginning to Slytherin, and yet the hat changed its mind. One question was on everybody's minds, 'Who is this Harry Potter that he can control even the Sorting Hat?'  
  
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Cherrity - Thank you for reading my story that you discovered : ) And yes, I hope to make them reconcile in the future  
  
Matt - What WILL the ministry do? I haven't even figured it out yet. Hehe. Yes he will take first year even though he knows the material. But perhaps a few advanced classes are in order?  
  
Otaku Freak - Thank you my faithful reviewer. Oh, caffine highs are fun! *runs to get three pepsis*  
  
Time Twins - A NEW REVIEWER! I think that his chapter may have been soon enough for you. ; )  
  
Prongsjr - WOAH! I'm glad you like the story! What a long review! My longest review yet by far! Thank you for all the complements. I do try to keep the story personal by getting the characters feelings in it. I'm glad that you appreciate it. Hope I updated soon enough!  
  
John - Another Repeat Reviewer! You guys make my day! I hope that you enjoy it even more, now that Harry's at Hogwarts. Next chapter should include classes, and FRED AND GEORGE!  
  
(A/N: Thank you so much to ALL reviewers of the chapter. I'm glad that you cared enough about my story to review. CHEERS!) 


	7. Prissy, Greasy, and Ferret

(A/N: I am so terribly sorry about the wait for this chapter. I meant to have it finished two days ago, and would have, but surprise second cousins from California came and I was followed by one of them, who was three years older than me, the entire time. Worst thing of all, my parents expected me to spend the time with him. So I couldn't finish my story. I was very upset about not being able to finish writing this and posting it a few days back. Oh and thanks to all reviewers!)  
  
(A/N updated: Ok, I made the changes. Do not bother reading the whole thing over, the only changes I made in the body was changing Hermione's hair from red to brown and changed the time change from Germany to England to two hours. Just start reading where it left off last time.)  
  
Chapter 7: Prissy, Greasy, and Ferret  
  
After the sorting hat had announced that Harry would be in Gryfindor he calmly took the hat off his head to reveal the students, every last one with their eyes on him, some with their mouths hung open in disbelief. Harry had hoped that they would not think him abnormal, but now it seemed that those hopes were dashed. They all thought him something special. Harry sighed, 'I don't want to be famous.'  
  
Calmly he strode purposefully over to the Gryfindor table where he took a seat at the far end, away from the rest of the house. Presently the talking in the Hall resumed, unfortunately, Harry noted that much of it was about himself. He could see the students casting wary glances at him, only to turn away as soon as he stared back. Harry could feel hundreds of eyes on him and he didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. Trying to avoid the piercing stares of others he picked at his food, not eating much.  
  
Harry heard footsteps approach him. 'Please not a teacher, please not a teacher.' He raised his eyes and in front of him stood a girl, she was rather small with bushy brown hair. She stuck her hand out in a greeting.  
  
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger."  
  
"Hi, you already know who I am."  
  
"Yes. You know, I've read all about you." Harry groaned; he was in books now too? "I know who your parents were and what happened to them. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that." Harry simply averted his eyes from the girl hoping that she would go away.  
  
'Strike one,' he thought sarcastically.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to ask you if you knew how you beat the killing curse. You are the only person to have done so you know."  
  
Harry didn't answer. 'Strike two.'  
  
"Well then, could you tell me about what it was like living with Black the last ten years? I heard that he was a follower of You-Know-Who!"  
  
"SHUTUP!" yelled Harry. Quiet immediately descended over the Hall. All eyes turned to an enraged Harry. Hermione involuntarily fell back more than a few steps under his piercing glare. "You will never talk about my GODFATHER in that manner again! I will not tolerate slander of him!" He turned to the entire Great Hall and raised his voice even more. By this time even Dumbledore was standing at the staff table, ready to prevent anything bad from happening. "That goes for all of you! You hunted Sirius for ten years! You failed in trying to capture him! Here I am, ten years later, a perfectly normal child! It is proof that Sirius was NOT evil! Everything I am I owe to him! He rescued me from what would be a life in an orphanage! He took care of me at my dying father's request! He did so knowing full well that we would be hunted! It was not Sirius Black that betrayed Lily and James Potter! It was a different 'rat!'"  
  
The whole hall gasped at this bold statement, including the staff, well, everyone but Dumbledore. Harry swept his eyes over the crowd, smiling inwardly at those who couldn't meet his gaze. 'Weak,' he thought. 'Can't even stand up for what they have believed.' With that Harry Potter turned his back on them and stormed out of the Great Hall in much the same way as he entered, robes flowing behind him.  
  
Dumbledore turned to McGonnagal and whispered in her ear, "I think we must keep close tabs on this one Minerva. He is more powerful that I ever expected. I doubt that many will be giving him much trouble after this spectacle. But neither will any be too willing to befriend him."  
  
*********************  
  
Harry sped down the halls, furious already with the student of Hogwarts. 'Oh man, I hope that girl never talks again. She is so prissy!' Harry knew the layout of Hogwarts by heart and was now heading to a secret room that was on it, discovered of course by the marauders. He reached the portrait of an old wizard at the end of the hall, marking that this was the secret entrance.  
  
Harry was about to give the password when the wizard spoke. "Hello Harry." Harry was so startled that he jumped back three feet looking around for whoever had spoken to him. The portrait began to laugh at his behavior. "What are you laughing about?" Harry asked it, "And how do you know my name?"  
  
"Why, I'm laughing at your reaction to a talking painting. As to how I know your name. Well, I think that I should know my own heir!"  
  
"Wait a sec. Back up. Did you say that I'm your heir?"  
  
"Why yes! Harry Potter, I am pleased to meet you. My name is Godric Gryfindor."  
  
Harry stumbled back in disbelief. Sirius had of course told him everything that he knew about Hogwarts, including its history and founding. Harry knew a lot about the four founders of Hogwarts and to meet one - even if he was only a painting. "Gryfindor? I'm your heir? So I do belong in Gryfindor!"  
  
"Well yes, why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, the sorting hat basically said that I was perfect Slytherin material. Though seeing as I'm your heir I would think otherwise. But I basically had to threaten it to put me anywhere but Slytherin. I really didn't want to go into that house. But something it said kind of scared me."  
  
"What did it say?"  
  
"Well, it said that if I chose Gryfindor that my life would be much more difficult, and that was because Slytherin is where I was meant to be. Personally, I think that it was just angry that I was defying it. I mean, how could my life be easier in one house than in another?"  
  
"Oh, there are many ways child," said Godric quietly. Harry didn't seem to hear. "But you are not here to talk to me, I suppose that you want into your private study?"  
  
"So that is what this is? A private study? I was wondering why it was five rooms total. Sirius said that they could only get in when Dad was with them."  
  
"That is correct, only the heir can allow others in, even if they do have the password. Speaking of which, do you want to use the current one or decide on a new one?"  
  
"Well, if only the heir can get in or invite others in why do I even need a password?"  
  
The voice seemed to think about this for a while and then, "Hot dog, you're right! All these years I've been bothering with a useless password system! And to think of all those times I almost forgot what the password was and didn't let in my heir when I knew that it was him too! You are a smart kid you know?"  
  
Harry laughed, and was soon joined by Godric. His troubles of half and hour ago were being forgotten, and Harry was beginning to see that Hogwarts could be interesting, very, very interesting. Harry was about to ask the portrait to move so that he could get in when a voice rang through the hallways.  
  
"All students please follow your prefects to your common rooms. You will be given the password at the entrance. Thank you."  
  
Harry sighed and Godric looked questioningly at him. "I don't want to go Godric, but I suppose I have to face them sometime. I doubt that they will be very pleased with me. Only been here for an hour and have already managed to upset everyone in the school."  
  
"Child, defending your godfather's honor was the only thing that you could have done in that situation. In those moments you displayed the very quality that I prize above all else, bravery. You were brave in that you didn't care what others thought of you, you stood up for what you knew was right. And hopefully your words made an impression on those who thought differently from you."  
  
"Hopefully," repeated Harry, "but probably not. Probably think I am a psychopath now." Harry smiled. "Oh well, sometimes life throws you a curveball Godric, I'm either gonna swing and get a strike or take the ball. I think that this time I took the strike." With that and a final 'good- bye' Harry left back down the corridors towards the Gryfindor common room. He left a very confused Godric Gryfindor behind.  
  
'Curveball? Swing and strike? Ball? That certainly is one interesting child,' he mused.  
  
*********************  
  
Harry ran threw the hallways until he caught sight of the group of Gryfindors moving towards the common room entrance. Harry of course knew where this was already and decided to tag a ways behind the group. Quietly Harry followed behind them, he didn't really want to attract any attention to himself.  
  
As he followed he heard bits and pieces of conversation, only one person was talking about him - that darned brown haired girl! "I can't believe he did that to me. I was so embarrassed. I mean, all I did was ask about what life was like with Black, I mean, he is a death eater -"  
  
'Control yourself - control yourself - control yourself. Remember what Sirius said, 'people will be asses, you need to learn to put up with it and get them back discreetly with pranks.'' Harry smiled at the memory of Sirius, and then even more about what kind of prank he would play on this annoying girl.  
  
Soon the group reached the portrait of the fat lady and Harry was forced to come forward in order to hear the password. The Gryfindor prefect, Percy Weasley, told the students that the password was 'bludger' and when the portrait opened, everyone walked in, including Harry who was in the back. The second through seventh years walked straight up to their respective dormitories, but the first years mingled in the common room looking around and awaiting instruction from Percy. Harry knew where the dormitories were already and began to walk up the stairs, but was stopped by Percy as he came back down to give instructions.  
  
"Harry, even you are not exempt from the annual speech to the first years." Harry shrugged and walked back down the stairs. He was in no big hurry to get up to the dorms anyway, his luggage weighed next to nothing in his pockets. Harry walked back down the stairs and stood towards the edge of the crowd of first years, not really listening to what was being said. He got the gist of it, mostly about being careful to not lose house points, and other boring stuff like that. Harry did however notice that the annoying red head was nodding her head, soaking in every word like it was directly from the mouth of god or something.  
  
Harry decided to extract some vengeance now while no one was looking. Besides, he didn't even have his wand on him, they would never suspect. Harry concentrated really hard and sent the wandless spell. Laughter immediately broke out as Hermione's hair turned a brilliant pink and purple.  
  
"WHO DID THAT!" yelled Percy, searching the common room and examining each face. He simply passed Harry's. Harry had long ago learned to be able to mask his emotions, and though he was slightly grinning he didn't seem the likely culprit. "Fred! George! Was that you? I thought I told you that you would not be tormenting first years this time around!"  
  
"Percy?" Came a voice from behind him, two red headed boys of the same build and look descended the stairs. One look at Hermione broke them into fits of laughter. One lapped Percy on the back, "It wasn't us old bean, we stick to our promises."  
  
"I'm sure you do," muttered Percy, "but if it wasn't you then who was it?" Harry noticed that Hermione looked his way more than once during the whole ordeal, but she couldn't read his mask, and Harry knew that he was safe from accusation. Percy undid her wacky hair colors before continuing his rant.  
  
"That is the kind of thing that will get house points taken from us! I do not want to ever see anyone do that, especially outside of the common room. If I catch you I will personally deduct points from Gryfindor, however much it would pain me to do so."  
  
'What an oaf!' thought Harry ecstatically. 'He would be fun to mess with too.' With an unseen wave of his hand he put some cat ears on Percy's head and a sign that said 'Kick Me' on his back.  
  
The first years erupted into more laughter, Harry joining them this time. As Percy spun around to try to see where the spell had come from the students noticed the sign on his back and laughed even harder. Harry noticed that one, also with red hair, a boy though, was laughing a little harder than others.  
  
"Percy!" exclaimed the red headed boy, "You never told me that Hogwarts was so fun!"  
  
"Ron, it shouldn't be this fun! Now I demand WHO DID THIS!"  
  
The snickers increased and to avoid suspicion Harry acted, however childish, just like the rest of his classmates. Harry's mind began to wander though, 'So Ron and Percy know each other, brothers perhaps?' Harry began to think of all the possibilities of allies that he could get at Hogwarts. Though it wasn't common he was considering prank allies from other houses as well. Oh this was going to be a very fun year.  
  
**********************  
  
That night in the dormitory, Harry avoided any talk directed at him, but joined in the snickering at the disruptions that he had caused. Naturally, he didn't tell the boys in his dorm room that it was he, they didn't need to know, not all of them. He would find which ones could be trusted, and which ones would give away his secrets. That night Harry slept soundly, and dreamt of his parents once again.  
  
***********************  
  
The next morning Harry awoke very early. He was used to German time, almost two hours before England's. To his disgust when he checked his wizards watch, it was only 4:00 AM. For an hour Harry tried to fall back asleep, but to no avail. In the interest of keeping his sanity, he was going insane with boredom, he decided to get up and do something, what, he didn't know yet. Before leaving the dorm he grabbed his shrunk guitar, and quietly proceeded to descend the stairs to the common room.  
  
He passed through the common room and out the portrait hole. Silently he stole down the hallways to the kitchen entrance. He tickled the pear and walked in. Instantly he was set upon by roughly five house elves, all asking if he needed anything.  
  
"Um, could I get some early breakfast? I'm not used to this time-zone yet," he said sheepishly. Almost immediately there were two trays piled full of food in front of him, and the same five house elves asking if he needed anything more. "Um, I think that I'm fine, thank you very much." With that he left the kitchens and proceeded to the Great Hall so that he could enjoy his breakfast. As he entered the hall he noticed that there was no one else awake, or at least in the hall. He sat down alone at the Gryfindor table and started on some crepes that the house elves had prepared. After finishing those he began on the pancakes. It was twenty minutes later that Harry stopped his breakfast, and looked down at his watch, 4:45 AM.  
  
'I still have a long wait. Might as well play a bit.' With this Harry unshrunk his guitar and made sure that the volume wasn't too loud. Then he began to play 'sure shot' by Yellowcard. Softly he sung along, but he realized that it didn't sound as good without the accompaniment. Harry decided to do something about it; he conjured up a drum set a bass guitar, and a keyboard. These he charmed to play on their own. 'Now this sounds right,' he thought as he began to play along.  
  
Harry had done all of this upon a sort of stage that was in the Great Hall for demonstrations, and he had to admit that the instruments that he had conjured were quite professional. Harry began to play many songs that he knew upon this stage, singing along. He didn't even notice as students began to trickle into the hall, frankly he didn't care.  
  
These students however were watching him, listening to him play. Though most liked the music, some didn't care for Harry's selection of soft punk, punk, and heavy metal. The people's present, most at least, had increased opinions of Harry after witnessing him. Soon enough Harry noticed that he had an audience and was about to step down, but some of the students asked him to continue. This he did. He finally had to stop do to running out of songs that he knew how to play. With a wave of his wand the instruments disappeared and the first years present gasped at his apparent mastery of magic. The upperclassmen didn't seem to notice that Harry Potter was performing magic they could barely do.  
  
Soon, the Great Hall had become packed with students eating their breakfast, and it seemed that everybody knew that Harry Potter was a musician, and a good one at that. Many people came up to ask him how he had learned to play, some of these people he chose to ignore, like that Hermione Granger. Harry still didn't see any reason to even acknowledge her existence; she hadn't proven herself sorry for striking out yet.  
  
As Harry was sitting alone the school schedule for first years appeared next to him. This he picked up and scanned over, Double Potions first thing, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and then History of Magic after lunch. Harry wasn't going to argue with the schedule, he was really looking forward to all of his classes, especially potions. Sirius had never been very good at potions and so there was much that Harry still had to learn about that sector of magic. History of Magic sounded interesting as well. Harry was pretty sure that he would know everything from DADA and was thinking that this last may be his naptime. He would soon find out how wrong he was about these assumptions.  
  
***********************  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Our new - celebrity." Harry with all he was expecting, was not expecting this. "Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"  
  
"You would get the Draught of Living Death sir, but certainly we will not be making that?"  
  
"You question what I would ask you to make Potter?"  
  
"Not at all sir," Harry retorted, he was beginning to get angry with this potions master, and his eyes were beginning to show it, "I was simply insinuating that perhaps that potion was a tad bit advanced for us first years."  
  
"Three points from Gryfindor Mr. Potter, for back talking to a teacher." Snape turned his eyes from Harry's as quickly as possible however, something in those eyes made him fear this boy. 'I'll have to keep an extra close watch on this one,' he thought.  
  
The rest of potions went without incident for Harry. He found that after their professor had stopped talking the class was much more enjoyable. He was walking alone to DADA when he heard someone run up behind him.  
  
"Umm, Harry?" Harry turned to see the red headed boy from his year and house. "Hello, I'm Ron Weasley, and you are Harry Potter. I just wanted to warn you about Professor Snape -"  
  
"Snape?" said Harry snapping to attention. "His first name doesn't happen to be Severus does it?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Ron admitted, "but anyway, I just wanted to tell you that he is very unfair to Gryfindors. I also wanted to say that it was amazing, you staring him down. How did you do that?"  
  
Harry looked shocked, "I stared him down?"  
  
"Yeah, didn't you? I mean, the whole class saw it. He couldn't look you in the eyes anymore and he turned away from you. Then he didn't say anything again to you for the rest of the class."  
  
Harry pondered on this for a second before saying, "Well, I didn't mean to at least." He was beginning to like this Ron kid; he was amusing.  
  
"Hey, want to walk to Defense Against the Dark Arts with me?" Ron offered.  
  
"Sure," replied Harry, glad to be starting a friendship.  
  
During DADA Harry and Ron sat next to each other and talked. Quirrel, their DADA teacher, didn't mind because he was done with the class after the first fifteen minutes. He had only given them a speech on what they would learn that year. Harry and Ron talked for the rest of the 45 minutes of class. They covered school, people they already got to know, and those they didn't like (Harry of course kept his secrets his), but most of all they talked about quidditch. Harry told Ron that he had a Nimbus 2000 and Ron was to say the least, very impressed. He asked Harry if sometime he would be able to ride it. Harry said that he could and Ron was ecstatic. He asked many questions about the broomstick, such as how it handled, top speed, ect.  
  
After DADA Harry and Ron walked to the Gryfindor tower together and put away their school things. Harry grabbed his History of Magic book and shrinking it put it in his pocket. Harry not thinking anything of this act, was confused as to why Ron's mouth was hanging open.  
  
"Ron? What's wrong?"  
  
"Harry, did you just shrink that book?"  
  
"Yeah why?"  
  
"That is magic that we don't learn until we are fourth years!"  
  
"Oh. Would you like me to show you how to do it sometime? It is a bloody useful spell."  
  
"Would I ever!"  
  
"Alright, how about this weekend?"  
  
"Okay, well, lets get down to lunch."  
  
Both did this but not before Harry shrunk Ron's book as well and gave it to him to carry. Ron said his thanks as they headed down the stairs to the Great Hall. The two ate lunch together and talked about music and classes so far. During their talk on music another Gryfindor first year approached them.  
  
"Hello, my name is Angie," she stuck out her hand in a greeting. (A/N: Kudos to all that recognize her from my other fic. Which I remind you is on hiatus for a while.)  
  
Harry took it first saying, "Pleasure to meet you Angie, I'm Harry Potter." Angie nodded and Harry was pleased that she didn't recognize his name, or decide to not gape over it. Ron took her hand next introducing himself as well.  
  
"What brings you over here to this part of the table?" Harry asked her.  
  
"Oh well, I had heard that you played the guitar. I wanted to know if you wanted someone to play with. I mean, I play the bass guitar."  
  
Harry's eyes lit up. "Really? I would love to play with someone. I've never been in a band before, though I suppose that we would still at least need a drummer."  
  
Ron coughed, "Well I can sort of play the drums. I'm not that good yet but I have been playing for about six months now."  
  
"That's great!" exclaimed Harry. "We could play together in the mornings, or afternoons, whenever we get the time and want to play."  
  
"Well," said Angie, "there is one problem."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I don't have a bass guitar," she said gloomily.  
  
"And I don't have a drum set here," said Ron in an equally melancholy manner.  
  
Harry smiled. "That isn't a problem. I'll just conjure some up for you when we want to play!"  
  
"You could do that?" Ron asked in surprise. Harry just nodded. Angie seemed mildly impressed by his ability as well but made no mention of it.  
  
It seemed to Harry that there was more to this girl than met the eye. And he wanted to find out her secret. She seemed to ignorant of wizarding policies and people. 'She could be muggle born,' Harry mused. 'I suppose that it will take some questioning to find out.'  
  
After lunch the newly formed trio headed off to History of Magic. It seemed that everybody was in shock to find that a ghost taught this class. Harry was sent into even more shock when he found that the ghost only talked in one tone, and it could make the most bloody and exciting historical events seem like watching snails race. Minutes crawled by and Harry made a mental note to change History of Magic to his naptime rather than DADA, which he had enjoyed.  
  
That night Harry was up late thinking about his new friends. He wondered if they would continue to be his friends through fire, because he was more than likely to receive some. Then he thought about Sirius, and what he was doing without Harry to keep him company. Harry silently cried himself to sleep.  
  
********************  
  
"Welcome students, to your first flying lesson! Now, put your right hand over your broom, and say 'up.'"  
  
"Up!"  
  
There were only three who got their brooms to arise right off, Harry, a blonde Slytheran boy, and Angie. Ron got his broom up soon after. Harry was very pleased to note something that apparently Hermione was not good at. Her broom wasn't even quivering under her forceful 'ups.' Soon she, in frustration, simply picked up the broom when she thought no one was looking.  
  
Madam Hooch, their flying instructor, seeing that everybody had a broom in his/her hand continued, "Now, mount your brooms." Everyone did so. "I want each one of you to slightly lift up on the broom and then pint it slightly down. This will make you fly into the air and then make you land again.  
  
Everybody pulled up on their broomsticks and then pulled back down, some more quickly than others. One person, Harry recalled hearing his name was Neville, seemed to be having a few problems. The main one being that he couldn't land, he kept flying higher and higher into the air.  
  
"Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Longbottom where do you think you're going?" Neville, panicking now, began to fly forward as fast as the broom could go, straight at the side of the castle. At the last possible second he pulled up with the strength born of desperation and missed the wall by mere inches. Harry seeing Neville's trouble immediately called his Nimbus 2000 to him and when it arrived twenty seconds later he took off after Neville, ignoring the cries from beneath him.  
  
Harry followed Neville for quite a ways before catching up to the terrified boy. "Neville! Listen to me! You have to calm down!" yelled Harry. Neville nodded his head, but didn't seem to be calming down at all. "Neville! Calm yourself!" This time Harry could see the boys shoulders relax slightly.  
  
After gaining this slight advantage Harry dictated how to land and slowly Neville did so. Once on the ground Harry decided that he could fly both Neville and himself back to Hogwarts, and have the broom simply follow them. Neville reluctantly agreed when Harry pointed out that Hogwarts was quite a ways away now.  
  
It wasn't long before Harry and Neville had returned, and Harry landed.  
  
Immediately students swamped him, all telling him how brave he was. Harry felt himself turn red; he hated the attention. Madam Hooch however, was not as pleased with Harry's antics and told him right off how dangerous it was to do what he did. After telling Harry this she rushed straight to the Hospital Wing with Neville, saying something about possible emotional distress.  
  
Before she left however she gave strict instructions of no flying. "The person who is caught in the air, their house will lose 100 points."  
  
After she had left sight Harry was beset with questions, that is until: "Hey look, Neville left his rememberall." It was the blonde Slytherin. "I wonder if he wants it back?"  
  
"Leave it alone Malfoy," said Ron angrily, "It is not yours."  
  
Malfoy sneered at Ron, "But supposing I take it?"  
  
"Give it here Malfoy," stated Harry.  
  
"Or what? Will 'perfect Potter' come and get me?"  
  
"I may." There were a few gasps at this statement. And Harry stepped forward towards Malfoy, who in turn mounted his broom and flew into the air.  
  
"Well Potter? Scared to come get it?"  
  
"Not at all Malfoy." Harry mounted his Nimbus and flew into the air.  
  
"Tell me Potter, if I threw this now - would you be able to get it?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Well then think quick!" With that Malfoy chucked the rememberall right at the castle wall, Harry with lighting fast reflexes took off after it. He was closing in on the rememberall, and unfortunately the wall. Twenty feet - fifteen feet - he was almost there - ten feet - Harry's hand closed around the rememberall - five feet - Harry pulled into an intricate twist/flip, throwing the broom down and his body to the right. One foot - was all the space that Harry had remaining. Harry smiled at Malfoy who cursed back, and landed with the rememberall, only to be for the second time that day swamped by students.  
  
Harrys many admirers crowed around him, not letting him move for at least five minutes. And moved only then because Professor McGonnagal came out onto the grounds yelling, "Mr. Potter! Come with me right now!"  
  
Harry looked back and saw Malfoy and his two goonies laughing, but not loud enough to attract McGonnagal's attention.  
  
"Come on Potter," she said impatiently. Harry followed her in silence, feeling the eyes of all the students present on his back. McGonnagal led him into the castle and down corridors, but not towards the headmaster's office, in fact, towards the DADA room. Once there she slipped her head inside the door and asked Quirrel if she could borrow a student named Wood. A minute later a tall boy, probably a fourth or fifth year came out looking confused.  
  
"Yes Professor?" he asked with a heavy Scottish accent. (A/N: I couldn't remember what it was in the movie so I'm making it Scottish. This is an AU fic.)  
  
"Wood, I have found you a seeker!"  
  
Now it was Harry's turn to be confused, he thought first years were not allowed on the house team. Wood however was delighted. "What makes you think he is a seeker Professor. I'll admit, he does have the build for it." Wood began to circle Harry.  
  
"This boy caught this," she pointed to Harry's hand, which still held the rememberall, "with one foot to spare from hitting the castle wall. He was going full speed before he began slowing five feet from it."  
  
Woods eyes opened wide in amazement. "So Potter, have you ever seen a quidditch game?"  
  
"Of course I've seen a quidditch game," Harry answered, then to test them, "Although we only had two people. Sirius and I always played together."  
  
Wood and McGonnagal's eyes opened a little wider at the mention of Sirius, but neither said anything, which pleased Harry. He couldn't play with people that made snide comments about Sirius; he wouldn't stand for it.  
  
Wood proceeded to ask if he would be able to play for the team, being a first year. McGonnagal said that she would see if Albus would make an exception. Wood seemed ready to jump with joy at finding a seeker that McGonnagal thought was good. It was nearly forty-five minutes later that McGonnagal let him go down to lunch, thought Wood stayed talking with her. Harry couldn't wait to tell Ron and Angie.  
  
As he got there however, instead of seeing Ron and Angie, he only saw Granger. "I suppose that you lost us 100 points," she said very coldly in a very accusing tone. Harry couldn't resist.  
  
"No actually, I suppose that you could say I was rewarded."  
  
Then he headed off towards the far end of the table where he found Ron and Angie. Ron's jaw dropped in amazement as Harry told his story. Harry noticed that Angie looked a little confused at the mention of quidditch. Harry noted this, but didn't ponder it that day. After charms in the afternoon Harry was ready to crash.  
  
He couldn't help thinking about all the people asking him questions in charms. He had been slightly embarrassed to find that he was the only one in the class, besides that Granger girl, that could perform the assigned charm. Harry went to sleep that night wondering if he would ever become a normal kid, never swamped by people who just wanted to know who he was, not know him.  
  
  
  
(A/N: There, fixed the chapter. And newer answers to reviews are below these ones.)  
  
Makulit: Hmmm - I didn't think about that whole clapping thing. Though I suppose the Gryfindors would be happy to get 'Harry Potter' still. Yeah on the train thing too, I just couldn't find a way to fit it in, and I really wanted to have him late with an entrance : )  
  
Allie - I am honored to have your first review. I hope that you continue to review. And you said 'joshin!' I thought I was the only one that said that!  
  
Prongsjr - Glad too have you reviewing yet again! Sorry about the couple days delay. Oh, and sugar can NEVER be a bad thing : ) On the powers issue, he is most likely going to mask it, but not attempt to pretend to be learning new stuff.  
  
Otaku Freak - Heh, THANKS FOR ANOTHER REVIEW! I hope you liked this chapter. I don't want to have the others know that he can apparate quite yet, so I didn't use that. But soon enough. Soon enough.  
  
Time Twins - This chapter is a bit longer! I hope that you approve! Thanks for yet another review!  
  
Rachel A. Prongs - Glad you like the Harry! I'm pretty sure you liked what those silver and gold eyes can do to Snape : ) CHEERS!  
  
HP - Thanks!  
  
Shaughn - Thanks for the review, it means a lot to me.  
  
Chris - as to #1, Harry is not going to be a punk, well, maybe to Malfoy. As to #2 *fidgets* THANKS!  
  
Angel - Here is more! I hope you liked it!  
  
Lady Phoenix Gryfindor - Favorites? I'm honored m'lady. *bows* Thank you very much. And I hope that you liked this chapter too.  
  
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(A/N: These are the new reviews.)  
  
Rachel A. Prongs - Added the McGonnagal part. Oh, and if you remember, Hermione was heavily disliked by Ron and Harry until Halloween. I promise that she won't remain unlinked forever : )  
  
Mercedes - Thanks for the time zone thing, I changed it to two hours. I know it is still not one but I wanted to have a little bit more of a time difference.  
  
Allie - Thanks for continuing to review!  
  
John - I suppose that since my other fic has been discontinued for now it would be unfair to make you read it. So, Angie in my other story was a muggle girl that Harry liked. Anyway, while at work something happened and Angie and Harry became very close. Harry brought her to Diagon Alley on the promise that she wouldn't say anything that would make her look suspicious. There in the bookstore he found a VERY old book. In a one-day long ceremony he gave her the gift of magic.  
  
VampAmber - I am honored that you would put this on your favorites list. I am also looking forward to reading your hardly-serious reviews! Hehe.  
  
Sum1 - Well, here is some more. I may finish the next chapter today, if not then hopefully tomorrow.  
  
Makulit - Hehe, yeah. Hermione does NOT have red hair. I changed it for you. Explanation: I read a fic one time that blatantly made it so that Hermione had red hair. I just carried that idea with me for the longest time : ) Won't make the mistake again.  
  
(A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed in this short time. I hope I made the chapter ending better. Last night I was dead tired, I had only gotten four hours of sleep the night before, and I couldn't think or type.) 


	8. The Ministry and Halloween Troubles

(A/N: Thanks to all who responded to my questions! I really needed the advice. It seems that the overwhelming response was to continue through all the chapters and stick to at least a vague outline of the books, though it was pointed out that I have changed so much already that I would doubtless have to change much more. There are only answers to one reviewer at the end of the chapter, he/she needs to be set straight on a few things. The rest of you all thanks for your advice! As for the other questions, I believe that you will have to continue reading to find out which of those I have decided on. Oh and thanks to all who said that they loved my story and all that other stuff : ) That kind of stuff really makes my day.)  
  
  
  
Chapter 8: The Ministry and Other Troubles  
  
Harry woke feeling slightly ill. 'Darn it, I hope I am not sick for Halloween.' Harry was really looking forward to this date as Dumbledore had said that there would be a big party in the Great Hall. He had also heard from Fred and George Weasley, that Halloween was one of the best times at Hogwarts.  
  
Harry had had a run in with the Weasley twins in a secret passage almost two weeks ago. Needless to say, both the twins and Harry were very startled to see each other. Harry let slip that he knew about the passageway because his father and godfather had discovered most of them. After he said this the twins had gone into a conversation about who they could have been.  
  
Slyly Fred had asked, "So, your father and godfather didn't have nicknames did they?"  
  
Harry, sensing that they knew something about his relatives answered in the affirmative.  
  
"They didn't happen to be Padfoot, Wormtail, Moony, or Prongs did they?" George had asked, looking slightly excited.  
  
Harry answered that Padfoot was his godfather, and that Prongs was his father. George, looking a little nervous had asked, "Is Padfoot Sirius?"  
  
Harry sighed, "Why don't we find a room and sit down, this could take a little while. After finding an empty room Harry told them the entire story, and they showed Harry the Marauder's Map.  
  
Harry smiled, and told them that that one had been Moony's. He had lost it a long time ago. Harry then took out his and showed them. This one was Sirius'. It has a few more passageways and rooms on it, because Moony had lost his before they graduated, and they had found a few more secrets after that. After this run in, Harry and the twins had been on great terms, especially so because they were both on the Gryfindor quidditch team.  
  
Harry quietly slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake the others in his room, and dressed. After this he grabbed his Nimbus 2000 and headed out to the quidditch pitch for an early quidditch practice with the team. As he reached the common room he saw Fred and George head out the portrait hole and ran after them.  
  
"Hey, wait up guys!" They stopped and let Harry catch up with them.  
  
"Hiya Harry," said Fred, or George, Harry still couldn't tell them apart.  
  
The other twin looked at the tired Harry, "Hmmm, looks like you don't enjoy Wood's idea of an early practice either."  
  
Harry shook his head, "I think that this is insane. We should practice when it is at least light outside." Soon they reached the doors and opened them, revealing the slowly brightening morning sky.  
  
Harry shivered, it was beginning to get cold now that October was almost over. The three students finished the walk to the quidditch pitch. Upon arriving they saw that Wood was already there. As Fred put it, "Probably has been here for at least an hour already."  
  
It wasn't long later that Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell, the three chasers showed up and Wood assigned them all something to practice. Basically, today they would all play a game. The chasers would try to score on Wood, who was keeper, Fred and George would try to keep the bludger away from the team, and Harry would just try to keep catching the snitch over and over again. Harry had become quite good at this and because he could fly so well it was not hard for him to stay with the snitch. Harry caught the snitch a total of ten times during the hour-and-a- half practice session, a personal record.  
  
"Alright team," said Wood after the practice was over, "the next practice will be the day after tomorrow, that gives you all two days to rest." The team groaned. "Hey! Do you want to win the Quidditch Cup or not?" They all mumbled that they did, but that they didn't want to practice again so soon. "Come on guys! The first match is against Slytherin in two weeks! We have to get in all of the practice we can! Alright, dismissed."  
  
George groaned, "He is so much like a dictator."  
  
"Yeah," said Fred, "The next practice would have been tomorrow but it is Halloween, and Wood knows that none of us would show."  
  
Harry nodded in agreement; he was tired and hungry. After dropping off their quidditch things in the dorms the three headed down to the Great Hall to get some breakfast. Upon arriving the Weasley twins said 'cya' to Harry and went to sit by their fellow third years. Harry headed off towards Ron and Angie, who he spotted sitting with Dean Thomas.  
  
All three greeted him as he sat down. "Hello all," he had replied.  
  
"So Harry," began Dean, "how was quidditch practice?"  
  
"Terrible as usual. We have to get up too bloody early," said Harry grabbing a croissant.  
  
"Well," began Ron, "at least you are on the team."  
  
"That's true, but I'm beginning to wonder if the sleep deprivation is worth it," Harry replied with a chuckle. Then, changing the subject, "What do we have first today?"  
  
It was Angie that answered, "Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
Harry smiled. He liked Hagrid a lot. He came across as a very helpful guy, just a nice guy overall, if somewhat a little slow or careless. "Cool, wonder what he will have for us today?"  
  
"Please anything but the sirens he had last time," Ron said to the heavens. It wasn't just me that was being drawn to them, Hagrid too.  
  
"Yeah," said Dean, "lucky you stopped them Harry."  
  
Harry groaned, any way he turned conversations they seemed to always end up on him and his powers, which nobody yet knew the extent of.  
  
Soon the three began the walk to Hagrid's hut, where nearby Care of Magical Creatures took place. As they approached the hut they all gasped. Hagrid had a unicorn in the front. It seemed to either know or trust Hagrid, because it did not run away at his touch or presence.  
  
"Hello Hagrid," said Harry.  
  
"Why 'ello 'Arry! 'Ello everybody."  
  
"Hello Hagrid," said Dean, Angie, and Ron simultaneously.  
  
"Hagrid," questioned Harry, "where did you get the unicorn?" The other three nodded their heads, wanting to know the answer as well.  
  
"Oh 'im?" Hagrid pointed at the unicorn. "I met 'im in the forest one day. Was a bit injured 'e was. Well I wrapped 'im up good and we've kept in touch a bit. I asked 'im if 'e would 'elp out with me lesson today."  
  
The four students grinned in anticipation. "That's great Hagrid! So we are learning about unicorns today?"  
  
"Yep, now if you don't mind, I 'ave to get back to tendin 'im for a minute."  
  
The four turned and began talking excitedly about the unicorn. It wasn't long before the other students began to show up and soon the class was avidly talking about the upcoming lesson. Presently it was time for the class to begin.  
  
"'Ello class! As I can see, you 'ave all noticed the unicorn. I'm glad that you like 'im, for we will be learnin about unicorns fer the next two weeks." The class began to talk excitedly about his new development. "Now, now," said Hagrid trying to quiet the class, "who 'ere can tell me what the property of a unicorn's horn is?"  
  
Instantly a hand shot up, nobody had to look to know that it was Hermione's. "Is there anyone besides 'ermione? No? Alright then." He pointed at her giving her the floor.  
  
"The unicorn's horn, or alicorn, has the power of removing any poison. If dipped in poisoned water, the water will be cleansed. Many antidotes are made from alicorn, though it is a rare find." It sounded as if she had a textbook in front of her.  
  
"Very good 'ermione. Now, let me tell you all a bit about the unicorn."  
  
Hagrid's talk continued for the next forty-five minutes, until the end of class. When the bell rang the students reluctantly walked off towards the castle. Harry quickly summoned his books for divination and sighed. He and Ron, though they sat together, hated that class. Everybody knew that Trelawny was a fraud, well, everyone except a Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Even Hermione disliked professor Trelawny.  
  
The class ascended into the high astronomy tower, where divination was held. Instantly the smell of incense hit them and many began to cough. Upon climbing the ladder into the classroom they looked around, but Trelawny was nowhere to be found. Fifteen minutes into the period, still no sign of the professor. Of course the class in general was not worried or upset by their professor's absence, in fact, many were elated.  
  
The joy was short lived however, as twenty minutes into the period their mystical professor glided into the room. "Ah my dears, I'm am sorry for having detained you. However, something urgent came up, and it required my attention."  
  
Harry couldn't bite back a retort, "Ah, I thought that nothing came as a surprise to you professor. Couldn't you have informed us yesterday that you would be absent for most of the class, and that you didn't require our attendance until thirty minutes into the period?"  
  
"Oh Mr. Potter, I never said that I didn't know that it wouldn't come up. I knew perfectly well, I, oh dear!" Trelawny shrank her eyes back into her head and quivered a bit. Her quick movements scared half of the class out of their seats. Suddenly her eyes came back into place and she seemed in control of herself again. "Oh dear, I'm sorry. I'm afraid that your death will be coming soon."  
  
Harry rose out of his seat and walked towards the trapdoor. "My dear, where do you think that you are going?"  
  
"I thought that you might know, professor," he spat out her title, "I'm leaving. I will not have some old FRAUD predicting my death, trying to scare me into believing her silly antics. I see right through you, that performance was just to cover your revealing mistake. Good-bye!" With that Harry stepped down the ladder and his footsteps began receding down the hall.  
  
"Alas, I was hoping that somehow I could deter him from doing that, but the fates had decreed long ago. But now that we are only left with those who really appreciate the art, we can begin to learn more earnestly."  
  
All of a sudden, half of the class stood up and walked to the trapdoor. "My dears?" Trelawny asked.  
  
"Oh professor, I'm so sorry. It seems that another of your predictions have been false, we are all quitting. Trelawny fell back into her chair. She couldn't believe it, half of her class had just quit. She had been surprised when Harry had, but the rest? How was she going to continue teaching after this?  
  
Ron went to find Harry with Angie, who had quit the class along with him.  
  
*********************  
  
Harry was walking towards the Headmaster's office; he needed to speak with Dumbledore about his quitting divination. He needed to get signed up with another class soon anyway. It wasn't long before he came up on the gargoyle that marked the entrance.  
  
'Hmmm, I have no idea what the password is. Oh well, I guess I can wait around. Somebody has to come by sooner or later.' With that Harry sat on the ground, and pondered recent events in his life.  
  
He did not have to wait long however, because soon the gargoyle began to move, and the voice of Dumbledore and another man could be heard. They were arguing.  
  
"I need to speak with him Dumbledore. You know that you cannot protect him from us forever. We need to question him about Black." Harry cringed hearing his godfather's name spit out like on would say Voldemort's.  
  
"That as it may be Fudge, I cannot allow you to do so. I believe for your own safety as much as his."  
  
"My own, certainly Albus you do not mean to say that the boy is dangerous."  
  
"Not at all Cornelius. However, I believe that since he has now heard, we should let him decide." Harry shocked that Dumbledore knew that he was there, cringed back from the pointing hand.  
  
"Ah Harry," began the other man, "let me introduce myself. I am Cornelius Fudge." At Harry's confused look he added, "Britain's minister of magic. I would like to ask you a few questions regarding Sirius Black, your caretaker of ten years."  
  
Harry nodded his head. He couldn't think of anything else to do. Part of him screamed, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING! You cannot let him question you! Do you realize that you might accidentally give them something that they need to find Sirius?'  
  
The other part was egging him on, 'Come on Harry, you said that you would get Sirius proved innocent this year. This is the best chance that you have.' Eventually the side for going won the argument and Harry agreed to go with Fudge.  
  
"You will have to question him on school grounds Fudge, and I demand to be able to be present," insisted Dumbledore. Fudge gave his consent to these terms.  
  
[30 minutes later, in a little known room in Hogwarts]  
  
Harry looked around. He was seated directly across from the questioner, an auror. Lining the wall were a few others; two aurors, Fudge, and Dumbledore. Harry was glad that Dumbledore was present, he would stop the questioning if it got out of hand. Harry was waiting nervously for whoever the questioner was to begin. It only took a minute while he was getting the papers together.  
  
"Alright Harry, let me begin by first introducing myself. You can call me Hilton, and you already know what I do. First off I need your permission in writing to question you. A document and a quill were slid across the table to him. Harry picked up the quill, but before he could sign Dumbledore snatched up the parchment and eyed it meticulously.  
  
"Harry, remember to always read anything that you are going to sign. In here it says that they want to test you under Veritiserum. Do you agree to this?"  
  
Harry shook his head, "No, I do not want Veritiserum. I will give you the truth without aid."  
  
Dumbledore then took his wand and muttered some words. The document was illuminated and the change took place on paper.  
  
"Albus! What are you doing! We need the absolute truth!" yelled Fudge angrily.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes flashed with anger. "Cornelius! You need the truth about what happened! But if Harry is under Veritiserum you will question him about where Black is! And that may be something that he does not want to release!" Fudge cowered under the gaze. Dumbledore waved his hand for Hilton to continue.  
  
"Very well then. First off, Harry, is Sirius Black guilty or innocent of the crime of working for Voldemort."  
  
"He is innocent."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"He showed me."  
  
"Showed you?"  
  
"His memories. He showed them to me using a spell."  
  
"And so you saw the events of that night?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Tell us what happened."  
  
Harry told them all of what he knew. He told them that Pettigrew was the one that had turned to Voldemort, that his parents had made him the secret keeper at the last minute. He told them of Sirius' encounter with Pettigrew that night, that was how he knew to go to Godric's Hallow. He told them of Sirius' talk with James before he died, that it was at James' request that Sirius took Harry. He saw one of the men against the wall flinch at what he was saying, as if the words were a physical blow.  
  
Hilton continued, "Where is Sirius Black now?"  
  
"I'm not going to answer that question."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I know that you won't give him a fair trial. It is quite common belief that he is guilty. I doubt that any jury could be convinced to see otherwise."  
  
"Harry, you must know that the ministry is fair and thinks things through logically."  
  
"And you must understand that I don't see why you still think that he is guilty even though I am still alive." Harry's voice was rising, "You don't understand, you couldn't understand that he is like a father to me. He taught me morals, and I love him. I love him like the father that I don't know; the father that I don't know because Pettigrew betrayed my parents!" Harry noticed the same man flinch. "Soon enough I will be able to prove this to you." Harry turned his gaze to the man shrouded in shadows. "Who are you?"  
  
"That is not part of this interview Harry," said Hilton trying to swerve Harry from his questioning of this man.  
  
"I want to know who that man is. I think that I have the right to know who is witnessing."  
  
"He is correct," said Dumbledore quietly. "He does have the right to know."  
  
Fudge sighed and motioned forward with his hand. The man in the shadows stepped out and lowered his hood.  
  
"You," Harry almost growled, "after our meeting you still doubt?"  
  
"Harry, please don't do this to me. I have believed that it was Sirius all these years. Don't try to take away my hate, it is the only thing that kept me alive after Lily and James were killed," answered the voice of Remus Lupin. Harry could tell that he was close to tears.  
  
"You should never have had the hate. Did it never occur to you that Peter could have done it Remus? Surly you must see that it could not have been Sirius. I am alive, Peter would have killed me where his master had failed."  
  
"He may have tried to do worse," retorted Remus. "He could turn you against the law. Could try to make you kill aurors."  
  
Harry jumped to his feet, and he felt the fire return. He hadn't felt it since he had last met Remus; the man was so stubborn. "Remus you damn well why I fought, you were talking about the kiss! Do you think that after that I would let you take him? He raised me, I love him like a father! Perhaps I could care for you too, if only you would put this childish 'holding onto your hate' behind you!" Harry was yelling now, and Remus was involuntarily backing up. The other wizards present were ready to act should anything happen.  
  
Harry looked around the room, his eyes piercing all of those accusing. "I'm done with this meeting," he announced coldly and began to walk to the door. The other auror moved to block it. Harry looked around once more and muttered some words under his breath. Then he disappeared.  
  
"What in the hell?" cursed Fudge loudly. "I thought you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts Dumbledore!"  
  
"You can't Cornelius, you can't," came the bemused reply. 'Harry is much more powerful than I first thought him to be. And yet I believe that I have not seen the full extent of his powers yet. I wonder when the child will come clean to the world, and more importantly, to himself.'  
  
Remus stood in though, first Harry, then the voice, and then Harry again? When would he come to put this childish hate behind him? When would he look at this situation in an unbiased way again? He didn't know if he could.  
  
*********************  
  
Harry appeared in the Gryfindor study. He needed some private time. 'Why did I do that? I should have just blown the guy out of the way. I shouldn't have used my air element.' Harry sat down on one of the overstuffed chairs inside the study. 'Dang teleporting makes you tired.' Harry began to think about what he should do. Should he come clean to Dumbledore, he was beginning to trust the man. 'If I tell him, will he tell others?'  
  
Harry's mind was in turmoil, there were just too many questions. Finally he decided to put off the problems until he was in a more peaceful state. He picked up Necromancy: The Ideas and Spells Behind It and began to read on calling shades. Harry had attempted this once in the safety of the study, but he feared to be in a place where none would be able to reach him. On that attempt he had succeeded in calling up a shade of one who had died. However, Harry apparently did not understand necromancy enough to speak with the shade, to ask it questions. It had simply droned on and on about how it had died and other things that Harry thought pointless. He desperately wanted to be able to call a specific shade, and to be able to converse with it, but that would take a very long time, much of that time spent in practice.  
  
After finishing the section on shades Harry picked up the sword and amulet that he had taken from his vault. He had not too long ago discovered a spell that would reveal the enchantments that were attached to an object. However, the results of Harry's attempt to discern what kinds of spells were applied to these objects were a failure; at least to some extent.  
  
The spell had worked correctly and had given the incantation that had been said to apply these charms but Harry couldn't find what these incantations were for. He suspected that they were the incantations of long forgotten magic. This Harry found interesting. Why do magics die out? He had heard many talk about the magic of old, magic so powerful that mountains were moved and dragons subdued. Harry wanted to learn more about these magics, if only to find out what the enchantments on his artifacts were.  
  
After reading the passage on summoning shades a few more times Harry practiced sword fighting with a dummy opponent. He was actually becoming quite good, and he had to up the fighting experience of the dummy several times in the last few weeks. Eventually Harry noticed the time, midnight.  
  
'Crap, I'm gonna be in for a lecture when I get back.'  
  
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Harry awoke to gleeful shouts of "Halloween! It's Halloween!" He groaned. What was so special about Halloween anyway? Sure everybody said that it was the greatest, but he was tired. And he didn't even want to wake up on birthday's if he was tired. "HALLOWEEN!" someone yelled right into his ear. That person was lucky that Harry was so tired, or he would have been hexed from here to next week.  
  
Harry slowly opened his eyes and instantly regretted it. Someone had thrown open the sheet over the window, and the sun was shining through brilliantly. His eyes snapped shut. Again he tried to open his eyes; again he failed. Finally Harry turned over moving his eyes away from the window and opened them again. This time they stayed open. Slowly he turned back over, allowing his eyes to adjust to the amount of light. Finally he could see around the room. It was Dean Thomas that was jumping around like an idiot. The other first year boys seemed to be of the same position as Harry, Halloween was only important in the evening.  
  
Eventually however, Harry got up along with the rest of the boys, and went down to the common room. There he met up with Fred and George.  
  
"Hey guys," Harry started, "Do you want to play a quidditch match with the whole of Gryfindor house?"  
  
The two seemed to consider the idea and then nodded. "If everyone else wants to, I don't see why not."  
  
So Harry shouted, "Does anyone want to go play a quidditch match?"  
  
Soon enough they had fourteen people willing to play. The teams were decided. Harry, Fred, George, Ron, Angie, Dean Thomas, and Katie Bell, would make up one team. The other team would be, Wood, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, Percy Weasley, Neville Longbottom (he had still not improved on a broom), and Seamus Finnigan.  
  
The two teams headed out to the pitch and mounted the school brooms. Much of the school had heard about the event by the time playing started and there were many spectators, almost none Slytherin. Even some of the teachers had come out to watch. Madam Hooch refereed the game.  
  
"Players, mount your brooms!" They all did so. "Ready! GO!" With that all of the players soared into the air, Harry faster than the rest and the balls were released. Instantly Katie Bell, from Harry's team, the falcons, had taken the Quaffle. She passed it to Ron who caught it and immediately passed it to Angie, who dodged a bludger and threw the ball towards one of the three goal hoops. Wood however, being the excellent keeper he was, caught it.  
  
The game continued on, with Wood's team, the lions, winning by fifty points. The score was 100-50. Wood was just too good of a keeper and Angelina and Alicia were well-practiced chasers, who handed the ball very well together. Harry realized that he had to get the snitch.  
  
Currently the lions were in possession. Angelina passed the Quaffle to Alicia, who passed flew into a twist to avoid Ron, and tossed it to Seamus, who was nailed by a bludger in the side. He dropped the Quaffle and Katie almost instantaneously picked it up. She passed it to Angie, who in turn passed it to Ron. Ron pushed his old broom to the limit, dodging a bludger and Neville, who happened to fly right at him uncontrollably, and ducked under Wood. Ron tossed the ball up and scored.  
  
"HURRAY!" Half of the Gryfindor watchers erupted. It seems that even they had taken sides.  
  
Then it happened, Harry saw a flash of gold in the center of the action, he dove. Harry knew what his broom was capable of very well, and he flew like it. Three chasers, who were handling the Quaffle, Neville Longbottom, whose erratic movements made flying around him dangerous, and two bludgers, blocked the way to the snitch.  
  
Harry gracefully navigated through the chasers, who split apart as he flew through them straight at the ground. Harry could hear Percy Weasley right on his tail. He pushed his broom faster. He managed to get past Neville, though he was almost hit by the bludger bat he was holding. There were only the bludgers left, and they seemed to be intent on smashing him.  
  
Harry wasn't too familiar with dodging bludgers, but his natural flying skills made up for this. The two bludgers were weaving in and out, attempting to make Harry slow, Harry however, timed his burst of speed and put it on, sliding right through the two bludgers. He heard a 'thunk' behind him signaling Percy's removal. He was so close to the snitch, slowly he reached out his hand.  
  
The crowds saw the two dive, saw the close encounters and saw Percy Weasley get creamed by two bludgers. They were yelling themselves hoarse over the amazing dive, now if only he could finish it off!  
  
Harry reached out further to try to get the snitch. 'Just a few more inches,' he thought. He stretched himself a little further. 'Just one more inch!' He reached out and grabbed the snitch, but overbalanced himself in the act. His broom shot down towards the ground at an incredible speed. Harry's eyes opened wide with fear, but he held onto the snitch. Instantly his reflexes took over and he realized that he needed to pull his broom handle up fast; faster than he could ever normally do.  
  
The crowd gasped at the sudden change of direction and instantly realized the danger that Harry was in. The girls began to scream and the boys couldn't. Their mouths were hung open in fear at what was about to happen. They waited for the 'thunk' to come.  
  
It never did. Harry swung his legs up backwards from straddling the broom. He landed them on the back of the stick and stood, forcing the broom handle up very quickly. The result was Harry changing directions from straight down to horizontal in about one second's time. After correcting the alignment he slid back down onto his broom and landed' he still had the snitch.  
  
Instantly the team and the crowd swarmed him. And he groaned as he realized that he had once again pulled off a stunt that would be remembered throughout Hogwarts history.  
  
***********************  
  
Harry, Ron and Angie were walking back to the Great Hall to participate in the feast, when they saw a form go running by them in tears. 'Hermione,' was the only thought that ran through Harry's head. 'I really shouldn't hold our first meeting against her. I mean, she was kind of like me, well sort of. We both came from somewhere that we didn't know anyone here. We both weren't popular, though I suppose I would have been. Maybe I will talk to her sometime again. I really do hate being mean to her.'  
  
The same types of thoughts were running through Ron's head. He was never very nice to 'Miss Know-It-All' as he called her. Really, she wasn't such a bad person; just a little bit paranoid about house points and a little eccentric about learning. She also couldn't stand people doing things wrong. But really, she wasn't that terribly bad.  
  
When Angie saw the girl run by crying she turned to look at Harry and Ron. She knew that they weren't very nice to her and she wanted to see their reactions. Surprisingly she found them deep in thought. 'Oh well, I suppose I could tell them to talk to her later. I mean she really does deserve a chance,' Angie had been talking to Hermione now for some time. Both considered each other friends but right now Angie wanted to get to the Great Hall, 'Besides, it seemed like she wanted to be alone right now.' She attempted some more to justify her going to the Hall without Hermione. Finally she just went on with Harry and Ron, who hadn't seemed to notice their partner's quick absence.  
  
**********************  
  
Harry opened a pumpkin and out popped some candy. He grabbed it up and started to open more, getting as much candy as he could. Ron and Angie were doing the same. Harry conjured a sack to put all of the treats in and quickly called several more pumpkins to him with magic. These he opened as well, pouring their contents into the sack. The three were having a great time with the feast. So far they had had dinner, been congratulated by Dumbledore on a great game, and were now gathering candy for the next few weeks. They were laughing and talking, that is until Quirrel came in.  
  
"Ridgeback! Ridgeback attacking the castle!" He fainted.  
  
'Oh shit.' That was all that Harry could think. Ridgebacks were a very feared type of dragon, all evil by nature. All very powerful. They had strong legs, with razor sharp claws. They had poisonous saliva. Not that that mattered, since if you were bit you were most likely eaten. They could breathe fire, and had their own type of magic. Yes, Harry was very scared indeed.  
  
Apparently so was the rest of the hall. Only two words could have described what happened next: complete pandemonium. Students were running around, grabbing their faces in terror, pushing each other out of the way, trying to move into a corner, as if that would protect them.  
  
"SILENCE!" a voice rippled through the hall, stunning the panicked into silence. It was Dumbledore, "All students will proceed CALMLY to their common rooms. Prefects lead the way. Faculty, come with me.  
  
Quietly Dumbledore led the staff out of the room, leaving Quirrel behind. Harry noticed that Snape had slipped off somewhere as well. Quietly the students proceeded with the directions given to them. Quietly, not calmly. They were at a full sprint up the staircases and down the corridors of Hogwarts. All except Harry. Harry had one thought on his mind, 'Hermione.'  
  
Harry ran to the front doors, and opening them sprinted outside, and down to the lake. That is where he had seen Hermione going, and he hoped to Merlin that she still was. As quietly as he could he sprinted down to the lake, and didn't slow until he saw her, idly picking flowers and grass and tossing them.  
  
"Hermione!" he said a little louder than he had wanted to.  
  
She looked over at him and then seeing who it was focused back on what she was doing. Harry ran over to her.  
  
"Hermio -"  
  
"What do you want?" she snapped. Harry could see her eyes were still red from tears. "Did you come here to make fun of me? Can't you see that I was perfectly happy wit -"  
  
"RRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"  
  
Hermione stopped talking, stopped breathing. For a few seconds she just paled. Then, "What was that," she asked fearfully.  
  
"That," said Harry shaking, "is a Ridgeback, and the reason I came out here. Now lets go!" Hermione nodded her head and she and Harry began to sprint back to the castle, hoping to get there before the Ridgeback saw them.  
  
Dumbledore and the staff were standing in the towers of Hogwarts, silently watching the beast fly around them. Needless to say, they were quite afraid. Nobody seemed to notice the lone student run across the grounds towards the lake, they were all focused on the dragon. No one noticed the two students coming back, except for the dragon. It flew full speed to block the escape path of the two students. The professors turned and gasped, there was nothing they could do, they were too far away.  
  
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(A/N: Awww come on, you didn't really think that I would do that to you did you?)  
  
Harry and Hermione ran, faster than they had ever run before, apparently it was not fast enough. Before they could scream, they dragon was looming in front of them, its massive wings spread wide. Its mouth ripped open and unleashed a terrible scream, knocking Hermione to her feet. Harry was more afraid than he had ever been in his entire life, but he knew what to do on instinct.  
  
"Hermione RUN to the trees!" he yelled at her. She obeyed immediately, running to the forest, she fared better in their than out with the dragon. Harry stayed to give her enough time to escape. "Oh Godric help me now," he whispered staring up at the enormous entity hovering above him. With those words he felt strength enter his body, and he found that the effects of the dragon fear no longer held him.  
  
The dragon opened his mouth to breathe out a column of flame; Harry erected a flame shield. 'God I hope this works.' Harry looking up could see the flames come out of the dragons mouth, could hear the roar of the fire approach him, and could see the flames hit the fire shield; it held. He saw them licking at the shield, trying to break through. He could feel the heat of the air rise, obviously his fire shield could not keep out dragon flame in its entirety. He prayed that it would hold. He needed to get a spell off, he needed to beat the dragon, if only to save Hogwarts.  
  
*********************  
  
The staff looked down at the figure, and the onslaught under which it was holding. There was no doubt in any of the professors' minds who it was down there anymore. It could only have been Potter. The boy had displayed remarkable magical ability, as far as the staff knew, he would be the only student capable of even erecting a fire shield. They could only watch the battle, and hope the shield held. It did.  
  
*********************  
  
The dragon flame stopped, the shield had held; but Harry Potter couldn't waste time rejoicing yet, the dragon was still flying before him. It brought its claws together and unleashed a spell. A frightening bright red ball of energy was sent spinning at Harry, who jumped and rolled to the side. Where the ball hit the earth heaved, and came sections came up, and then fell back down, covering where Harry would have been standing. Harry decided to strike back.  
  
"Eres su dominea cara es tu eres somo actin tu nea saras dais! Eres su dominea cara es tu eres somo actin tu nea saras dais! Eres su dominea cara es tu eres somo actin tu nea saras dais!"  
  
As he chanted, a ball of bright bluish white light began to form in Harry's hands, which were held together palms facing towards each other not touching, wrists in contact. Harry could feel the energy that he was drawing on flow through his body and into his hands. He was in ecstasy. The magic flowing through him felt like a sensual message, it felt like it was cleansing him. He was losing his control, and he fought to hold onto it. For this spell he had drawn on chaos magic. He was not yet very adept at this type of old magic, but he had learned enough for this. However, right now he was drawing on more magic than he had ever had before, for Harry knew that this was his only chance. He had to fight the ecstasy; it threatened to overtake him. If he let it the magic would explode back to the ground, killing Harry with its raw force. Harry twisted his hands in a fluid motion, bringing them back together pointed at the dragon.  
  
Harry let the energy go, the magic was let out in the form of a large bluish white beam, a beam that looked, and was, pure power. Harry began to mutter the second part of the spell,  
  
"Ares su camara, eres tu camara. Ares su camara, eres tu camara. Ares su camara, eres tu camara. Ares su camara, eres tu camara."  
  
Each muttering became progressively louder until he was screaming to hold the power of the spell in check and focused. His body was draining the magic, and his energy as well. He could feel his muscles relax, his entire body become fatigued. Still he chanted until the last of the magic was gone, he couldn't even see if he was successful; Harry Potter collapsed.  
  
*********************  
  
Dumbledore stared down at Harry, fearing for the child. He knew what was going to happen; or did he. He was most surprised when Harry dodged the dragon's earth heaving spell. Then he heard the boy begin to chant. How this was possible he did not know, however, upon a quick glance around he saw that the other professors heard it as well. Dumbledore could not understand the words, but he felt them pulling power to Harry. He felt magic rushing by him, answering Harry's call. He saw that magic begin to form in Harry's hands. It formed in the shape of a ball of bright light. Dumbledore didn't know what the spell was, or what it could do, but he could sense the amount of raw power in that one concentrated area inside Harry's palms.  
  
It was then that he realized that Harry could easily be the most powerful wizard on the planet, perhaps ever.  
  
Dumbledore intensely watched as Harry released the energy in the form of a bright bluish white beam straight at the dragon, and heard the chant change. Still he could not understand the words, though he longed to. Dumbledore saw the beam take the ridgeback full in the chest, and he heard its scream.  
  
It seemed odd to Dumbledore that even over the intense piercing scream of the dragon he could hear the words that Harry was chanting, but he was fascinated, terribly fascinated with what was happening. The dragon was beginning to dissolve. It started at the chest, and spread out along its body.  
  
Then the beam stopped, the dragon was dissolved, and Harry collapsed. Dumbledore saw a figure run out of the woods to Harry, and kneel down by him. Dumbledore and the rest of the staff rushed down the stairs to get to 'the boy who lived.'  
  
*********************  
  
Dumbledore reached the unconscious Harry first of the staff. He bent down to check his pulse. It beat; Harry was alive, but just barely. Quickly he lifted Harry off the ground and rushed him to the infirmary. Hermione followed, she was crying hysterically.  
  
Once at the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey forcibly gave Harry five different potions. He had an extreme case of magical shock, and his condition was not going to improve for some time. After taking the potions there was nothing that could be done for Harry but let him rest, and hope he pulled through.  
  
Once all this was done Dumbledore turned to Hermione. "Now my dear, do you want to tell me what happened?"  
  
"I'm so sorry Headmaster. I was out by the lake during he feast crying. Terry boot had made fun of me. I had no idea that the ridgeback had come. Harry came out to try to get me to run back to the castle. I wouldn't listen to him until I heard it roar." Hermione shook with fear at the memory, then continued. "He tried to sneak us back to the castle unnoticed, but we didn't make it. He told me to run for the trees, I did. I just left him out there. Then he fought it and - oh Headmaster is he dead?" Hermione was openly sobbing, tears streaming down her cheeks. She kept muttering over and over, "It's my fault, it's my fault."  
  
Dumbledore tried to console her. "Don't worry Hermione. Harry did what he had to do. He saved more than just your life today. Here. Lay down and take this." Dumbledore handed her a dreamless sleep potion. She took it and almost immediately her eyes closed. Dumbledore sighed and then stared back down at the unconscious, unmoving, barely alive, form of Harry Potter.  
  
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(A/N: Sorry about getting this chapter out a little late but the length and a minor case of writer's block stopped me from getting it out yesterday. Thanks for your patience. I also wanted to tell you that I will not be able to update until at least Monday because of Thanksgiving and my family taking a trip up north. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and didn't mind that I changed the troll to a dragon. I mean, what kind of a challenge would a troll be to this Harry? CHEERS!)  
  
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Nameless Reviewer - If you are going to flame the story, don't be such a coward as to not put anything in the name or e-mail block. At least give me something to call you by. Alright, now that that is out, let me continue with your review:  
  
You have already distored it from it's origonal form! Harry with Blond and Brown hair dosen't work; it just dosen't! Maybe if you get Hermione, Ron and Harry back together and dump the stupid oc, you might be able to salvage it though. I like this fic...sort of, but you went WAY too fast with it. I can't remembe a chapter that didn't start on Harry's birthday. You can't just go from year to year to year without a summery or something. Plus, if your forgeting, this is Britain we're talking about! Do you think people go to boarding school and just start playing acid rock on conjured up stages during breakfast? No, they don't. I'm sorry if this is kind of rude but it seems as though you took a story and just...I don't know, are you American? That would explain everything!  
  
You are correct, I have distorted it from its original form. I'm okay with you not liking Harry's look, but really I don't even mention it besides when he gets it. In the first book, if I may so humbly point out, Hermione is not liked by Ron and Harry until Halloween, or this chapter, in which she begins the steps towards friendship. So if you could have patiently waited . . .  
  
Also, do you REALLY want to know all the BORING details of what Harry and Sirius did all year, basically stuck in one house? Okay here they are. Harry and Sirius played a game of cards over the year, they also flew on broom some. Oh yeah, they ate and slept too. Ummm, that's about it.  
  
Britain we are talking about! Well, lets see, I think I made it perfectly clear in my story that Harry was German. He didn't grow up in Britain at all so that argument really doesn't apply. Besides, if you call New Found Glory, Finch, Yellowcard, Blink, and the like ACID ROCK, then I'd hate to hear what you call real acid rock. Hell, I doubt if you have heard of those bands if you are calling them acid rock.  
  
Then you accuse me of being American, which I am, but you go on and DISS Americans. Really I don't think that that was necessary at all. In Arizona, where I live, that is how we are. 11 year old boys play "pop punk," what that music is called here, on guitars. I don't even know what nationality you are, and even if I did, I wouldn't make a generalization or stereotype. Personally, I just don't think that your comment is acceptable. Thanks for reading my point of view, if you did. 


	9. Friendship

(A/N: Alright. I got this one up Sunday. A day earlier than I expected. I went on vacation for Thanksgiving weekend and so I was unable to update. I am really sorry. However, I did use the time to write this chapter and half of the next. It should be up tomorrow, or if I stay up late, perhaps tonight. I must say that I didn't think that I was going to be able to get this up because I also had to write a school report.  
  
Oh yes, and I believe an explanation is in order. Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. To be honest with you all I have read fan fiction for such a long time now, mostly fifth year stories, that it never even occurred to me that they didn't take these classes in first year. However, I have decided to keep these classes in the story. One because instead of Divination Harry will be taking another class, one which he wants to take and will evolve into something in the course of this story. Two, I'm just to lazy to make the necessary changes. Heh. Well, thanks to all reviewers!)  
  
  
  
Chapter 9: Friendship  
  
Harry cracked his eyes open and light flooded in. He slammed his eyelids shut. A minute later he tried again with the same results. 'Where am I?' he thought, 'What happened?' He tried to force his mind to recall the last events that he remembered and it all came flooding back to him: the dragon, the chaos magic, HERMIONE! Harry opened his eyes and this time ignored the light. He looked around, and found that he was lying on a bed in the hospital wing. To his surprise he saw hundreds of gifts of chocolate frogs, Bernie Botts' Every Flavor Beans, and lemon drops. Looking at the mountain of sweets in front of him he noticed a toilet seat.  
  
'Ha, must be Fred and George.' Harry rolled over to see if there were more gifts on the other side of him. This movement attracted the attention of Madam Pomfrey, the mediwitch at Hogwarts.  
  
"Oh goodness! You are awake!" she exclaimed as she came over to check on Harry. "How are you feeling dear?"  
  
"Terrible," came the response. Indeed it was true. Harry was sore all over, physically and mentally. He felt exhausted and yet at the same time felt well rested. 'How is that possible?' he asked himself.  
  
"Well I should think that you would be feeling bad after the case of magical shock that you went through. Been in bed for a week now! I thought that we had lost you at first, but you pulled through. Should have expected it out of you dear." Harry grimaced at that. He never liked being referred to as something extraordinary.  
  
"Well I suppose that I must get Professor Dumbledore. He wanted me to alert him as soon as you came around. I believe that he has a few questions for you." With that the mediwitch left the room.  
  
Harry took the opportunity to search the room for Hermione. He was really worried about her. He had collapsed right after the spell, and because he was alive he assumed that the dragon left, but he couldn't be sure. Harry absentmindedly grabbed a chocolate frog and opened it. He caught the frog as it tried to jump off the bed and stuffed it in his mouth. Then he grabbed the card; Merlin.  
  
'Wow, Ron is going to have a fit! This is the rarest card and he doesn't have it! Maybe I'll just give it to him as a gift, it should make a great Christmas gift.' Harry didn't even notice as the door to the hospital wing opened again and the headmaster came inside. Harry didn't notice until Professor Dumbledore was standing right next to him. Harry looked up and was met by a pair of twinkling eyes.  
  
"Hello Harry," said Dumbledore kindly, "How are you feeling." Harry repeated his answer for the Headmaster. "Ah yes, terrible." Dumbledore smiled. "You know Harry that I and the rest of the staff witnessed your encounter with the ridgeback."  
  
Harry sighed. "No, I didn't know that Headmaster, "though it makes sense. I suppose you are here to ask me about the fight then?"  
  
"Yes Harry, I must say I was very intrigued by your chanting. I couldn't find what it meant anywhere in any books I looked in."  
  
"You heard the chanting?" Harry asked nervously.  
  
"Yes my dear boy. If I am not mistaken I believe that the entire school heard it, perhaps it was heard even further than that." Harry groaned and Dumbledore continued. "I knew that you were something special when I first set my eyes upon you Harry. How special I never knew. So far this year though I must say that you have surprised every teacher in the school with your knowledge. Now I must ask you, how much did Sirius teach you, and what did he teach you?"  
  
"Headmaster, I will answer these questions, on one condition."  
  
"And what is that Harry?  
  
"I don't want you to tell the ministry anything. I trust you but if what I tell you gets out then I'm not sure that I could continue to be here. I will tell you right now that I could more than likely pass both the O.W.L.S and the N.E.W.T.S with flying colors."  
  
Dumbledore kept a passive face up at this information, but Harry could vaguely sense the man's surprise. "Harry, I'm not sure that I can make that promise, unless you promise that you will give the ministry to ask you the same question that I have."  
  
"I will allow them to ask, but it doesn't mean that I will answer. I have no reason to distrust you Headmaster, and according to Sirius, every reason to. I will tell you what I think that you need to know, but I will not explain to you the principles behind some of my knowledge."  
  
Dumbledore nodded in agreement.  
  
"Alright then. I will start off by telling you that Sirius began to teach me magic at a very young age. I believe that I learned the lumos spell at age four, though at that age I didn't learn many other spells. Sirius taught me that mostly to placate my whining to learn magic." Dumbledore smiled. "By the age of eight I knew roughly 400 spells, many hexes and the like. I didn't know many curses except those that Sirius deemed necessary for pranks. However, something very strange happened on my eighth birthday." Dumbledore seemed to perk up at this. "A voice visited me in my dreams. It said that I would now have a photographic memory, that learning would no longer be a problem. As it is now, I can read a book and recite off every detail from that book to you."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "Did this voice ever say anything besides tha tyou had gained this power?"  
  
Harry shook his head, "Not on that visit."  
  
"It came more than once?"  
  
"Yes. It came on my ninth, tenth, and eleventh birthdays as well. Except on these birthdays I was granted magical powers, not just memory."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"On the eve of my ninth birthday, I gained control of the elements." Harry made a fireball appear in his hand as a demonstration. Dumbledore seemed mildly impressed.  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore began, "I should have expected that, your father had control of the elements as well. I believe that that is a trait of the heir of Gryfindor. He was an elemental. But I don't believe that the spell you used was that of one of the elements."  
  
"No you are correct, it was not. I was getting to that. On my tenth birthday I was visited again, and this time I learned that I had the capability to learn necromancy." Dumbledore looked slightly alarmed. "Don't be afraid Headmaster. I know what necromancy is and how to use it. I also know that there is no such thing as dark magic. Necromancy is considered a dark practice, because most who use it use it for their own desires, and thus it became evil. However, I do not use it to further my own needs, and so in my position it is not evil."  
  
Dumbledore relaxed, "I see that you have progressed far beyond your years in knowledge and experience." It was Harry's turn to smile.  
  
"Headmaster, when forced to live as I did, constantly worried that you would be found, one tends to grow up a lot faster. Though sometimes I wish that I hadn't." Harry was sent into his own thoughts until Dumbledore brought him out of them with a soft cough.  
  
"Ah yes - where was I?"  
  
"Eleven?" Dumbledore offered with a twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"Yes. When I turned eleven I was again visited much to my dismay. You see all I really wanted was to be normal, and knowing that others did not have these powers that I was being presented with was quite disheartening for me. However, the voice came anyway, and presented me with my final power to date. A power that I fear; the power that I used yesterday. And seeing the results, I'm sure that you can appreciate why I fear it. It can be deadly to those who use it and it is easily corrupted. I have yet to lose control of the magic though if I did you would know. I would be insane, my sanity being pulled away a along with my magic. Yes, to fail with this magic is to lose your own."  
  
Dumbledore looked rather dumbfounded, and was a loss for words. So Harry continued.  
  
"Yes Headmaster, this power that I gained on my eleventh birthday was power over the chaos magic." Dumbledore drew in a breath. "Yes, the power over the very magic of the Earth. In drawing this power I subject myself to the great reserves of energy of the Earth. They are always looking for more power you know. If one loses control of the spell then the magic is pulled back into the Earth, along with the magic of the caster. If used correctly, the magic is powerful, more powerful than any other."  
  
Dumbledore spoke, "Yes, I have heard of this magic before. It is rare that such a gift be given to a mortal, to control the very magic that holds together the Earth. It is a near infinite supply of energy if I am correct?"  
  
"Yes, a near infinite supply of energy that can be accessed at near infinite risk. Even to complete a spell is to drain oneself. I have only attempted very small variations of the spell that I used a week ago, and those put me out for near two hours."  
  
"Very interesting. If I may ask, where have you been practicing these spells?" "Surely Headmaster you must know that the founders all created rooms for their heirs' use?" Dumbledore nodded his head.  
  
"I have heard that that was true, but have never been able to find any. Though I know that the Chamber of Secrets, the Slytherin room exists."  
  
"Yes, well my father while here found the Gryfindor common room. Only the heir and those he invites may enter." Dumbledore nodded his head.  
  
"You shall have to show me this room sometime Harry, I think that it would be very interesting to see it."  
  
Harry replied that he would.  
  
Dumbledore raised himself from the bed "If you are feeling up to it Harry, I give you leave to go."  
  
"Thank you Headmaster." Dumbledore nodded his head and then left the room. Harry gathering some of the gifts left up to the Gryfindor study. Upon arriving he was greeted by Merlin. After a quick conversation involving where Harry was and how he was doing, Merlin let him through. There he deposited the sweets and grabbed a bag.  
  
Then he left back up to the hospital wing for the rest of his sweets. Upon arriving he grabbed the rest of the sweets and stuck them into his bag and then he returned to the Gryfindor study. There, Harry went to thinking about how the entire school had heard his chanting. Nobody had said anything about it before when he had done it before. After an hour Harry came up with a hypothesis.  
  
Harry believed that however far he drew energy from was how far the chanting could be heard. For the spell that he used against the dragon he had called for energy from all throughout Hogwarts, and perhaps well beyond. How far he didn't know, or care to know. After formulating this theory he decided that Dumbledore should know and so he set off in the direction of the Headmaster's office.  
  
He arrived just in time to see the Minister of Magic and a few aurors go through the passageway to Dumbledore's office. As they went through however, the strangest thing happened. The passageway did not fully close. Harry of course, being the honest individual he was, stepped closer to eavesdrop.  
  
"Dumbledore! You must allow us to speak with the boy!"  
  
"Cornelius! I have allowed you to speak with him once before, he left that meeting. It is my belief that he will not wish to speak with you again!"  
  
"Albus! I am the Minister of Magic! He will speak with me if I so demand it!"  
  
"Cornelius you fool! Your power is not so great as to control others at a whim! That is a trait of a dark wizard Cornelius. That was a trait of Voldemort!"  
  
Harry could almost hear Fudge wince at the name. "Do not speak his name Albus! It brings ill tidings."  
  
"It brings nothing Cornelius! Are you so afraid to speak a name?"  
  
"Of course not!" yelled Fudge trying to regain some dignity. "It is simply brings ill tidings to speak of one so evil."  
  
Harry could hear Dumbledore sigh. "Cornelius. I will give you one day to find and question Harry Potter. Neither I nor any of the faculty at this school will aid you in finding him. I suspect that he will not want to be found by you."  
  
Harry did not stick around any longer, but fled to the Gryfindor study, where he planned to reside for the rest of that day. However, plans sometimes change. Harry glanced at the clock, it read noon. Harry conjured up a lunch and then began to study some more on his necromantic magic. After two hours of this Harry decided to practice sword fighting. This became tiring after an hour and Harry was unable to continue that practice. So, with nothing else to do, Harry decided to explore the room. It was about five o' clock and Harry was in the third room of the study, when Harry found something interesting. As he tried to pull out a book he found that it wouldn't move. Harry cleared out the books by it and examined the book from all sides. It looked like a normal book, but the title was written in runes.  
  
'Curiosity killed the cat,' Harry reminded himself, but to no avail. Harry opened the book. As he did Harry heard shifting and to his surprise the bookshelf on which the book was shelved began to move aside. Once it had fully moved aside a door opened on the wall behind it. Harry quickly pulled out his Marauder's Map, which he kept with him at all times. After a quick looking over Harry was very sure that not even the Marauders had found this passage. Harry, because of Sirius' influence no doubt, decided to explore.  
  
Harry noticed with interest that as he walked down the path, the map automatically recorded its existence. Harry could not, however, see where the passageway ended, as the map only recorded where he had explored. The path took many twists and turns and Harry was at a loss as to where it could possibly go, finally however, it straightened out. When Harry finally came to the wall at the end of the passage he took out his map, and almost dropped it in surprise.  
  
The passage was from the Gryfindor study to the Gryfindor common room. Quickly Harry checked to see if there was anybody inside the common room that could see him enter, there was not.  
  
"Excete Revealus," Harry said as he tapped the wall with his wand. Two words appeared in the air. These words were the password to open the wall. 'Godric Gryfindor.' Harry shrugged at the password, it seemed almost to easy. He put his wand against the wall and said the words and it opened up. To Harry's surprise he was staring out at the common room from behind the fire.  
  
'Great, how am I supposed to get in?' As if on instinct Harry took a step forward into the fire, and to his great surprise, he wasn't burned. The fire it seemed, though it gave off heat, could not burn one who stepped or fell into it. Harry imagined that this was to prevent injuries and loss of property. Harry stepped through the fire and into the common room, and the passage closed behind him. As the passage closed he heard footsteps coming down the stairs into the common room. Soon after he saw the brown hair of Hermione Granger. When she saw Harry she screamed out his name and ran over to give him a hug, which he accepted.  
  
"Harry we were so worried about you! I was so worried about you. You saved me you know from that dragon, I probably would've died if you hadn't done what you did. And then when you collapsed, I thought that you had died. I was so scared, but then Dumbledore came out and took you up to the hospital wing and told me that you had a good chance of coming out all right. But even after that we were all scared, even some of the Slytherins looked worried about you. I mean, you did save the entire school." She smiled at his obvious embarrassment of being called a hero.  
  
"I wouldn't go to that extent. I mean, Dumbledore could have taken the ridgeback probably."  
  
"Harry don't be so modest, he may have been able to, but he didn't, you did."  
  
"I know, but I don't like all the attention that I am likely to receive because of it. I mean the Ministry of Magic is here right now wanting to question me. But the last time they questioned me things didn't go that entirely well and so I think that I will avoid them for a while yet. Dumbledore only gave them a day to find me."  
  
Hermione smiled at this. She knew that Harry had been the son of a great man, a man who incidentally found many secret passages in Hogwarts. Harry probably knew them all, and could evade the Ministry for as long as he wanted.  
  
"Do you know if they have access to the common room?" she asked, "Because if they don't you could stay in here a while."  
  
"I'm not sure, but lets see where they are at this moment." Harry pulled out his map, and very quietly spoke, "Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs forever." Lines began to spread across the paper forming a very accurate map of Hogwarts, including the passage that Harry had just discovered. Almost instantly Harry saw the name Cornelius Fudge walking around the hallways. A quick check of his position revealed that he was on his way to the Gryfindor tower, and that meant that Harry needed a quick escape. A dilemma was presented however, in the form of Hermione. She would know where he had gone to and most assuredly ask him about it later. Harry could leave her here and face those questions at a later time, or he could take her with him to the Gryfindor study. Harry chose the later.  
  
Quickly he grabbed Hermione by the wrist and drug her over to the fireplace where he stepped in. Hermione screamed but Harry silenced her with a glare.  
  
"Don't worry, the fire is enchanted to not burn those who touch it. Hermione nodded her understanding and Harry put his wand against the back wall and whispered, "Godric Gryfindor." The passage opened and Harry pulled Hermione through. The passage shut just as the portrait hole opened. Harry watched the men search the common room and then the dormitories before giving up in disgust with that room. Harry then pulled Hermione along the long passage until he got to the other wall. Again he put his wand up to the wall and whispered the password. When the wall slid open Hermione asked if he should not have checked to see if there were anybody inside. Harry said that there couldn't be anybody inside without him inviting them in. His point was proved as he walked in but Hermione found that there was an invisible barrier blocking her way.  
  
"Oh, said Harry, um, she is here at my invitation." With that Hermione found no difficulty in sliding through to the dueling room of the study. She looked around in awe.  
  
"Harry? What is this place?"  
  
"This, Hermione, is the study of Godric Gryfindor."  
  
"How did you find it?"  
  
"My dad did when he was here at Hogwarts."  
  
"You said Godric Gryfindor right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then how come only you can get in."  
  
Harry sighed, "Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Hermione nodded. "Okay then, I'm his heir."  
  
"His heir?" Hermione exclaimed putting her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Yes, his heir. I have access to this room because I am his heir. Only I and those I invite may enter. You are lucky enough to be the first person that I have invited into this room." "Oh," Hermione said nervously, "thanks?"  
  
Harry laughed. "You enjoy reading don't you?"  
  
"Yes I love reading. I have read all sorts of interesting things. Being muggle born I had to read about the wizarding world. And I had to read about Hogwarts. After I had done that I read all the spell books that I could get my hands on." Hermione smiled sheepishly, "But you probably don't want to hear all that."  
  
"No go on," Harry waved his hand signaling for her to continue, "I want to hear about how muggles grow up. My godfather raised me and so I have always been around magic. However there were some things that I had to get muggle. We had a muggle radio and a muggle T.V. Of course we enchanted them so they could run off magic instead of electricity."  
  
Hermione smiled and pointed out that it was illegal to charm muggle appliances. Harry shrugged and replied that what the Ministry didn't know couldn't hurt them. Besides there were no muggles within a hundred miles of where he lived. Harry then invited Hermione to look at the enormous collection of books held in the study, which she did. After being asked if she could borrow some for light reading he asked her which books. A few of the books he had said no to because they were obviously topics that would have been in the restricted section and Harry didn't want to have to deal with questions if anybody found out that she had got them from Harry. Hermione did get five books though.  
  
One was on the history of wizarding England, another on the witch hunts of Medieval Europe, another on ancient civilizations, a fourth on the founders, and finally one on dragons. This last Harry guessed Hermione wanted because of the ridgeback attack. Harry didn't take Hermione back to the common room until ten o' clock. They had ate together at eight and Hermione had been more than slightly impressed with his conjuring of food. When they finally returned the two had to wait a while for the common room to clear out some before they could reenter. When the opportunity came Harry and Hermione quickly slipped through the fire and emerged unscathed on the other side. Soon after Angie and Ron came into the common room and set upon Harry, questioning him as to his whereabouts the entire day. Harry told them that he was avoiding some unwanted company and had to explain the Ministry situation once again. He did not however, mention the room and this told Hermione not to mention it either.  
  
Harry then "introduced" Hermione to the group and though they were a little hesitant Ron and Angie accepted her pretty quickly. The four stayed up until midnight asking questions and giving answers. It was in this question and answer session that Harry asked Angie about her life before Hogwarts.  
  
"Well, you see I'm an only child, and muggle born, or at least I thought I was. I was in much the same position as Hermione here except that when I got my letter, my parents didn't want me to go. I did though and sent a letter back with the owl that had came with my Hogwarts letter. It was then that I learned that I had been adopted when I was very, very young. My parents it turned out were killed by Voldemort," Ron flinched at the name, "during the height of his power. When the owl delivered the letter to Hogwarts, Professor McGonnagal came to my house and took me with her. We went to Diagon Alley and I found that I was quite rich, my real parents had left me quite a bit of money. So after buying my supplies I was taken back home. There my parents discovered that I had gone and decided to go to Hogwarts. They told me that if I were to go here then they would not allow me to come back. I loved them a lot but I decided to come nonetheless." Angie's gray eyes radiated sadness. She turned to face each one of them in turn and each offered their sympathy. Her eyes rested upon Harry's.  
  
"Harry?" she asked, "What is your real eye color?"  
  
Harry took out his gold and silver contacts and looked up at her, his emerald green eyes showing brightly.  
  
"Wow," Angie breathlessly muttered, "Harry those are great eyes. Why do you wear contacts?"  
  
"I don't know, I just did. I mean, I need contacts anyway and I figured that I might as well get some weird colors." Harry smiled at his friends who laughed at this revelation.  
  
"Harry," Hermione started, "There is a spell that would allow you to correct your vision. I don't think that I could perform it but I'm sure that you could. Harry looked at her curiously. "You say that there is a spell to correct eyesight? Is it a new spell?"  
  
"Yes, fairly new."  
  
"Must be why it wasn't in any of the spellbooks at my house. Do you think that you could get it for me?"  
  
Hermione ran up to her room as quietly as she could and returned with a large book that had the Hogwarts library seal on it. She flipped through about two-hundred pages before stopping. "Here it is, the eyesight correction spell. The incantation is 'Ocularous Repario.'"  
  
Harry took out his wand and pointing it at his eyes said the incantation. A bright white light enveloped him, centering at his eyes. When the light departed Harry found that he could see perfectly, perhaps even more than perfectly. Harry smiled at Hermione and gave her a big hug telling her that it worked.  
  
"Harry," began Ron, "do you think that you could do that spell on me? I've had a bit of trouble lately seeing the board and I don't want to get glasses." Harry gladly complied and soon Ron too was exclaiming at how well he could see.  
  
At midnight Harry declared that he was too tired to continue talking and he and Ron said goodnight to the girls and ascended the stairs to the boy's dormitories. The girls left up the stairs to their dorms as well. As soon as the four hit their pillows, all fell asleep.  
  
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(A/N: hope you all like the chapter. Next one should be coming up tomorrow!)  
  
Ashley - thanks and here is the update  
  
Nexus - This chapter is a little slow but the next picks up a little bit more  
  
Gabriella - heh, did I keep you on your toes with the dragon?  
  
Time Twins - thanks a lot! Heh, I did plan something like that for Hermione and the others  
  
Jordan - I hope that you like that Harry took out the contacts. :D I was getting a few too many complaints about it.  
  
Rachel A. Prongs - Thanks for reviewing yet again! Oh, and I hope my A/N at the top explains  
  
Old Fawkes - Thanks a lot for the great review!  
  
Otaku Freak - Thanks for the kind words. Hope you liked.  
  
Makulit - Harry did kill the dragon, well, it was disintegrated. There was nothing left. No blood no mess. I know I really need a beta reader, but that slows the time that I will get the chapters out in. So I'm not sure. Thank you for your excellent review.  
  
Jpalmegrin - Thanks for all of the advice! I will use some!  
  
Rysu-koshi - I may include a song from them. I love them too.  
  
Serry - Thanks for sticking up for me!  
  
Tigerdrake - Thank you for sticking up against that reviewer. Also, thanks for expressing your dislikes in a in a more polite fashion. I know that I may have been able to put this in original fiction, but I don't mind. It is hard to think up new names and such. Besides, it is very disheartening in original fiction. Those stories get hardly any reviews.  
  
(A/N: Thanks again to all reviewers. Oh and I suggest that you check out my favorite stories! There are some really great ones in there!) 


	10. Quidditch and Christmas Break

(A/N: I should note that I had deleted chapter 8, the questions chapter, so if you haven't read the NEW chapter nine you should do that before reading this. I got that up two days ago for you who would complain about the wait for ONE chapter. Anyway! Thanks to my few reviewers and I hope that you enjoy the chapter. It is a little short but also a little boring. I'm thinking to end this year in a few chapters at most. Thanks for all who have been reviewing faithfully.)  
  
  
  
Chapter 10: Quidditch and Christmas Break  
  
Harry woke earlier and grabbing his broom and quidditch robe he ran down to the common room where he me the rest of the Gryfindor quidditch team for an early quidditch practice. It would be a quick practice before the last game of the semester. Harry said good morning to Fred and George before the whole team left down to the quidditch pitch.  
  
Harry knew that Wood wouldn't work the team to hard because of their game today, and he was right. Wood had the team practice chaser formations, and beater and seeker tactics. Harry had to admit that the team was getting very good, especially for only having fifth years and younger on it.  
  
In the rules of the game nobody but the chasers and the keeper could actually handle the quaffle, however, there was nothing stating that the other players brooms couldn't help. Wood had Harry practice hitting the quaffle accurately with his broom tail. The result of this practice was Harry becoming another member of the chasers; one who incidentally also had to look for the snitch.  
  
By the end of the practice the team was feeling very good about their chances versus the Ravenclaw team, who were about as good as the Slytherins. The Gryfindor team now had three hours before the game started. They had orders from Wood to rest and eat during this time. After the practice the whole team went down to the Great Hall where they sat together with a few of their friends. Everybody in the Hall was talking excitedly about the upcoming match.  
  
After breakfast Harry, Angie, Ron, and Hermione went down to the lake where they talked about the upcoming Christmas Break.  
  
"Are all of you staying here for the break?" Harry asked his friends.  
  
"I am," said Ron, "I always will I suppose, Fred and George do."  
  
"I am staying as well," Hermione said, "I think that if my parents had me home they would not let me come back," she added with a smile.  
  
"I'm staying as well," said Angie softly. The others knew that she was not welcome home.  
  
Harry attempting to cheer her up said, "Well, I'm staying as well of course. I can't very well go back to Sirius with the Ministry watching every move I make." He smiled. "Well, if all four of us are staying, we need to do something. I say that we explore the castle on the break, you know, go through all the corridors and up all the stairs. I even know some secret passages that I could show you."  
  
Hermione smiled at this and Ron asked, "Did my brothers show them to you? I think they know every secret passage there is. They even know more than Filch!" "No, they didn't show me any. I did however, meet them in one that they had thought that nobody knew about. You should have seen their faces. 'How did you get in here?' they asked. Oh it was classic."  
  
The four were rolling on the ground laughing at Harry's act.  
  
All too soon the three hours were up and Harry had to leave his friends and go to the Gryfindor locker room to meet the rest of the team.  
  
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"Alright team, we can do this. We are better conditioned and better practiced than the Ravenclaws. With all the new tricks that we have learned," he looked at each team member in turn, "and all of our new formations, we should be able to win this game in record time." He turned to look at Harry. "Harry it is up to you to catch the snitch before Chang does. Do you think that you can do it?" Harry nodded his head. "Good then, Gryfindor on three! One! Two! Three! Gryfindor!"  
  
With that the team in scarlet walked out onto the pitch and were welcomed by cheering crowds.  
  
"And here comes the Gryfindor team! Wood, Johnson, Bell, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and - Potter! Harry Potter is the youngest seeker in a century at Hogwarts and was quite a find from the first years flying lesson."  
  
Harry felt himself blush at Lee Jordon's comments. The Weasley twins waved at their friend in the tower who waved back.  
  
"And here comes the Ravenclaw team!" The Ravenclaw team walked out onto the pitch and screams and cheers erupted from the side of the pitch that was in blue. All the players surrounded the ball release point with their brooms at the ready. Madam Hooch, the referee of the match, came out with the four balls. She released the bludgers first, and then the snitch. Harry tried to follow its quick movements but it was lost to his sight almost immediately.  
  
Then taking the quaffle in hand she said, "Players, mount your brooms." They all did so. Then with a throw of her hand and a blast of her whistle the quaffle flew into the air and the players went after it. Harry rose quickly over the game and began his search for the snitch. By the time he had reached his desired height the Gryfindors had already scored; it was 10 - 0.  
  
The game continued and Gryfindor was in the lead, 50 - 20. "Ravenclaw in position!" yelled Jordan, "The Ravenclaw chaser just made a fabulous spin to avoid a bludgers, she's coming up to the goals, she throws! And an excellent block by Wood! Wood tosses it to chaser Angelina Johnson. A fabulous evasion of a bludgers, she's gonna get hit! The bludger smacked her in the arm, but she got the quaffle off to Katie Bell. Katie Bell looks to be in a little trouble. Two Ravenclaw chasers are on her tail. She tosses the quaffle - Where is she throwing it to?"  
  
Harry had signaled for her to pass him the quaffle, he would hit it to Alicia. Katie did. As the quaffle headed to him Harry swung his broom tail around, smacking it across the field to waiting Alicia's hands. There were no Ravenclaw chasers anywhere near her, it was just Alicia and the keeper.  
  
"What a wonderful move by Potter! I've never seen anything like it! Alicia Spinnet has the quaffle and it is a one on one. Alicia faints a throw and the keeper lurches left! Alicia dives under and tosses the quaffle up through the hoop! What a wonderful show of teamwork by the Gryfindor team! You go girl! 60 - 20 Gryfindor!"  
  
Alicia did a short victory loop, but Harry didn't have time for any such thing. He had seen the snitch, and so had Chang. Harry, lower than he should be took off at a straight line towards the middle of the pitch. Cho Chang on the other hand had remained higher up and dove for it.  
  
"Oh my! The seekers have seen the snitch! Harry Potter is on the faster broom but he is a little behind Cho Chang! They are going to collide! No! Potter spun up on his broom and is now above Chang! What an excellent move. Potter is reaching out his hand! Does he have the snitch?" Just then both seekers turned direction straight for the ground. "It looks as if the snitch is trying to get away! Both seekers are flying full speed at the ground! They've changed direction again! Now both are flying straight up! Potter's broom speed is starting to show as he his pulling ahead of Ravenclaw seeker Cho Chang! Potter is reaching out! Does he have the snitch?!"  
  
Just then a bludger hit from a Ravenclaw beater flew into Harry's arm, and Harry heard a sickening crack. He was in great pain but he reached out his other arm, and turning once again to horizontal, reached out and grabbed the snitch.  
  
"Harry Potter has got the snitch! Gryfindor wins 210 - 20! What a great game by the Gryfindor team and what a fight that SEXY Ravenclaw seeker put up."  
  
"Jordan!" yelled Professor McGonnagal, "Remember what we talked about. Only comments on the game are allowed."  
  
"Sorry Professor, it won't happen again."  
  
Harry however did not hear the argument between Professor McGonnagal and Lee Jordan for team members and friends were swamping him. Harry couldn't remember every feeling so happy.  
  
"Harry!" somebody yelled, "Party in the Gryfindor tower!" Harry however couldn't respond because of the bear crushing grip he was in from all the supporters of the team.  
  
It was a little while before Harry escaped the crowds and began the walk up to Gryfindor Tower with his three friends. On the way they kept congratulating him on a game well played, and Harry kept saying that the entire team played well, not just him.  
  
Upon entering the common room Harry groaned as he was once again swamped by supporters and a cheer was raised in his name. Somebody, more than likely Fred and George, had gone to Hogsmede and brought butterbeer for the party. Harry was given about three bottles of the stuff from his classmates. These he passed out to his friends and then he got one more for himself. The quartet settled in the back of the room where Harry could attract as little attention as possible to himself.  
  
It was then that Fred and George came over and lifting him up began to shout, "Speech, speech, speech, speech!" Harry began to wave his hands clearly showing that he didn't want to give a speech but he wasn't let off the hook. Harry found himself groaning yet again.  
  
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Harry awoke and looked at the clock. It was seven o' clock, December 24th. Harry found that he was not able to get back to sleep and so he resigned his attempts and throwing on some robes he proceeded to go down to the common room. On the way down he grabbed his ancient runes assignment.  
  
Soon after deciding to quit divination Harry had taken up ancient runes and Ron was taking that class with him. Hermione and Angie had decided on taking Arithmancy, which was another form of divination, but more accurate. That subject was defiantly along Hermione's lines for she loved logic and numbers and Arithmancy was divination using numbers.  
  
Harry worked on translating the twelve-page paper that they had gotten. It wasn't all that hard for Harry because once he saw a rune once he knew its meaning forever. This was due to the gift he received on his eighth birthday. Harry finished up to page six before Hermione came down an hour later. Harry noted with a smile that she was carrying a large book, probably six hundred pages. Harry was almost sure that she had it for "light reading."  
  
The book turned out to be something to help her with an Arithmancy assignment, which she started on after saying hello to Harry. Harry and Hermione worked on their assignments for another hour before Angie and Ron came down from the rooms. By this time Harry had finished translating the paper and Hermione had gotten a good start on her Arithmancy assignment.  
  
When the other two came down the four went together to breakfast. The four were still not yet used to the unusually empty hallways. Most of the school it turned out did go home for the holidays. This absence of students was especially apparent in the Great Hall. There were only fifteen students in the hall including the quartet. Even some of the staff left for the holidays.  
  
Harry was glad to see that the Headmaster had not left. Harry and Dumbledore had had a mutual understanding of each other since Harry had opened up to Dumbledore. Harry visited Dumbledore at least once a month to speak with him about how he was doing. Harry had also kept his promise to show Dumbledore the Gryfindor study. Harry was rather surprised to see Dumbledore so excited. Dumbledore had very nearly skipped down the hallways following Harry. When Harry had let Dumbledore into the study the headmaster had run from room to room, examining each room in turn with all the curiosity and excitement of a child.  
  
Harry however was not as happy to see that Snape was still around. That man had taken off points from Harry whenever he felt that he could get away with it. Harry was beginning to wonder if Snape didn't hate but loathed him. In potions Harry constantly felt Snape's eyes on him, waiting for Harry to make any sort of mistake. Harry was sure that if Snape didn't have to teach a class that the man would follow him everywhere taking off points for things like talking in the hallways.  
  
The four Gryfindors talked about the different rooms that they had explored so far. During the five days that they had had off so far the group had covered the basement, first and second floors. Today they were going to explore the third floor. Both Christmas day and the day after they would not explore, but they would continue to the fourth and fifth floor. That was the plan at least. None expected what they would find this day.  
  
The four friends ascended the stairs to the third floor and took out the Marauder's Map. The group began their exploration. The first room that they came to appeared to be an old classroom. There were desks and a teacher's desk all positioned as if they had been used before; though not anytime recently. In it they found a few old textbooks and quills. Other than those small finds however, there was nothing of note in that room.  
  
The group explored three more rooms and still there was nothing interesting in them. Harry was beginning to wonder if they shouldn't call off this floor because of the lack of anything of note. However, they found something different in the fourth door they came to.  
  
Harry shook the handle, it was locked. "Alohamora." The lock clicked and the door was open. Harry kept his wand out for one never knows what they may find inside a locked room. Angie turned the handle and opened the door. The four walked into the dark room and not being able to see anything Harry muttered, "lumos."  
  
Light flooded the room revealing everything they wanted to see, and something they didn't. Standing right above the four was the largest dog any of them had ever seen. And that wasn't the worst part. The dog had three heads, which meant three large tooth-filled mouths.  
  
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" all four yelled before running out of the room, closing the door, and locking it. They could hear the dog pound itself against the door trying to get the four friends. After locking the door they didn't stop running until they reached the Gryfindor common room. They arrived scared out of their wits and completely out of breath.  
  
"What WAS that thing?!" Ron almost yelled.  
  
"More importantly," began Angie, "what was it doing INSIDE Hogwarts?"  
  
"Most importantly," said Hermione, "what is under the trapdoor it was standing on?"  
  
"You were looking at its feet?" Harry asked incredulously.  
  
"Well, someone has to notice those kinds of things." Hermione waved her hand dismissively.  
  
"Well," began Harry, "If there is one thing I know, it is that Hagrid must know something about that thing. I mean he loves big scary monsters!"  
  
The others agreed and decided that after lunch they would make a stop at Hagrid's hut.  
  
***********************  
  
"Why 'ello 'vrybody."  
  
"Hello Hagrid," came the reply from all of the friends.  
  
"Hagrid," said Harry, "We have a question that we want to ask you."  
  
"Oh, go a'ead."  
  
"Um, you wouldn't happen to know anything about a very big three-headed dog that is living on the third floor would you?"  
  
Hagrid's face registered a little shock before he responded. "'Ow do you three know about Fluffy?"  
  
"Fluffy?" Ron asked. "Fluffy? Couldn't you have thought of something more, I don't know, dangerous?"  
  
"Naw, Fluffy is a good name for 'im. But I still dun know 'ow you all found out about him. Or 'ow you got away."  
  
"Well, we were just walking down the corridors checking out each room when we came to Fluffy's. Lets just say that we ran like hell to get away."  
  
"Well, you are a lucky bunch. But I'm sorry. I can't tell you what 'e's guardin'. That is between Dumbledore and Mr. Nicholas Flamel." Hagrid hit himself on the head. "I shouldn't've said that..."  
  
But it was too late. The four ran off back to the castle, more specifically the library, and began to look up on the name Nicholas Flamel.  
  
*********************  
  
"Harry! Wake up its Christmas!"  
  
"Huh? Go away!" Harry swatted at whoever was yelling in his ear.  
  
"HARRY WAKE UP ITS CHRISTMAS! YOU HAVE PRESENTS!"  
  
Harry jumped out of bed at the scream. It seemed that Ron had magically amplified his voice using the sonorous spell that Harry had taught him. Now Harry really wished that he hadn't. "I'm gonna kill you," Harry growled playfully.  
  
"Hah, you'll have to catch me first!" With that Ron took off down the stairs to the common room.  
  
Harry threw on some muggle jeans and a tee-shirt and ran down after Ron. What he saw made his eyes open wide. For the six Gryfindors that were left in the castle that was a heck of a lot of presents. 'One, two, three... eighty-five, eighty-six... Oh forget it!' With that Harry dived into the pile and began to help the others sort them out.  
  
Harry ended up having the most presents; there were a lot from people none of the kids knew. Finally the six began to open their presents. Fred and George were quite thrilled with the Book of Fun Hexes and Potions that Harry had gotten them. Ron, Hermione, and Angie had gotten Fred and George some of the potion ingredients that were required for some of the more interesting potions.  
  
Ron opened his next, and everybody laughed at his ripping of the wrapping paper. He simply tore at it and used everything but his teeth to get the presents open. In the end he got some pranks from his brothers, a poster of the Chudley Cannons (Ron's favorite team) from Hermione, a book on quidditch from Angie, and some dueling robes from Harry. After opening all of his presents, which of course included the customary sweater, he thanked everyone present and let Hermione open hers.  
  
Hermione opened some pranks from Fred and George first. After trying a few of them out she moved on to her best friends gifts. Ron had gotten her a book, no surprise there. She smiled and almost lovingly read the title of the book, The Science of Gnats. Next was Angie's gift. Hermione opened a box and inside were some girl accessories: makeup, hairpins, and the like. Finally she opened Harry's gift, it was a statue of a ridgeback.  
  
She was quite stunned by this until Harry said, "To remember how we became friends. It was a very bad situation, and something very good came out of it." Hermione smiled and put the statue with her book, which Harry considered quite a complement.  
  
Finally it was Harry's turn to open presents. From Fred and George he had received some pranks; no surprise there. From Ron he received a lot of candy: chocolate frogs, fizzing whizbies, and candied pickles? Harry laughed at the last. Hermione gave him a book on battle dueling positions and strategies, which Harry thanked her sincerely for. Then he opened Angie's gift to him. It was a wand holster for Harry's battle robe. Harry thanked for her gift and then reached for his last. As he turned the package over he saw that it was marked in very neat handwriting, "from a friend." Curiously Harry opened the gift and out fell a silvery-shimmering cloak. His friends all were awed by its beauty. Harry was awed because Sirius had told him it had been lost in the fire. It was his father's invisibility cloak.  
  
Harry decided to show his friends its true use. He slipped it over his shoulders and they all gasped as he disappeared.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione almost yelled with delight. "That's an invisibility cloak!" "Yes it is," answered an invisible Harry, "It was my father's." With that he took off the cloak and the others could see the sadness in his eyes, if only for a moment.  
  
*********************  
  
In the time between opening presents and the dinner feast the quartet was in the library. They were searching every book that they could possibly find that might contain the elusive Nicholas Flamel. So far they were having no luck.  
  
At the feast Ron and Harry were having a field day opening the presents that were on the table. They had collected so far roughly a years worth of candy. The girls on the other hand were quietly talking with each other, leaning back in their chairs. It was at this time that Harry would make the biggest discovery.  
  
Harry cracked open the case to a chocolate frog. As it tried to jump away Harry caught it and put the entire thing in his mouth. As he finished it he was grinning like a maniac. So was Ron who had just done the same thing.  
  
"Hey! I got Dumbledore!" Harry exclaimed as he took out the card of the headmaster. As he read the list of accomplishments of Dumbledore, which was quite lengthy, he came across a name; Nicholas Flamel. He all but dropped the card. He kept reading on to discover that Nicholas Flamel was the only known person to have a sorcerer's stone. Harry called out to his friends telling them of his finding.  
  
'But why do they have the stone under such heavy guard at Hogwarts? What could possibly take the stone from some other spot, even if was not under as heavy of guard. Who would want the stone?' Harry nearly smacked himself at this though. 'Everyone of course! Money and everlasting life? I mean come on!'  
  
"Well guys, now we found what is hidden in there. What do we do now?" Harry asked the group.  
  
"Ummm." Nobody could come up with anything.  
  
"My thoughts as well. I guess that we could keep an eye out for anything suspicious, you know, anything that might point to why the stone is being kept here?"  
  
The others nodded their agreement.  
  
"But for the meantime. Lets play a game of wizards chess!" said Ron, all but formally challenging Harry.  
  
"You're on!"  
  
The two raced up the stairs and down the hallways back to the Gryfindor common room. The boys, because they had been racing, arrived long before the girls, who had decided to walk. Three of them spent the rest of the evening relaxing and talking about what a waste of time that research had been. Hermione was relaxing and talking about how interesting the research had been, and said that she had learned a lot that may be useful sometime.  
  
Harry was thinking that she was crazy.  
  
************************  
  
(A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the Quidditch match. I had fun writing it. So the vaguely similar plotline begins! Haha. Well, I hope to hear from you all in the reviews!) 


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